Gemma06

Allott for me, he's proved a lot of people wrong, myself included, and showed why Shez paid out money for him

Crossley 2nd

Get an old hand in to help him.

I doubt Shez would go for that

The thread below suggests that no one is thinking about Eardley. His passing/distribution has been a weakness this season, but his committment, effort, energy and work rate have been excellant. He is only 19 and has had the captaincy thrust upon him. He has also played a lot more than any other youngster - Alees and Lomax have only played a small number of games. I also think he has suffered a little from second season syndrome, something that many young players struggle from. He gets my vote for sheer professionalism and hard graft over an entire season.

Eardley for me too, he's had a hard season what with being given the captaincy (a little too early probably) and having no-one playing in front of him for most of the season. He is still only 19 but has played 2 full season, is a regular international now and has been captain for a good chunk of the season, i think people forget how young he still is sometimes

Hey and he's just lucky that the kids have done ok? Nowt to do with his knowledge from coaching them? Ooh now who was coaching the kids 24 months ago? JS!

I think we've got Tony Philliskirk to thank the for the high quality from our youngsters, the guy is an excellent youth team coach and works wonders with our kids

Sheridan has made errors this season which is fine he is an inexperienced manager but they are the same mistakes he made last season, hopefully next season he will have finally learned from them.

All managers make signings that don't work out, Moore brought in Wellens & Porter but also Forbes and Scott and whilst i wasn't Talbots biggest fan did bring in Kilkenny, Hughes and Croft

We do have the foundations for a promotion challenge next season so hopefully Shez can bring in the right players to fit into our team

exactly what i was about to post kellys..a few weeks back we had problems with injuries in midfield and up front so we had to sort that out..youre always going to take more of a risk with your keepers (for example teams not having one on the bench) but we just dont have the budget to cover roughly 20 injured players

We don't have 20 first team squad players injured. All season we have been without a natural left winger and left back, Livermore has been brought in to cover eventually but even he isn't a natural left back/midfielder, he plays best through the middle. Pogs has been out of the picture for months and Crossley has been carrying injuries for a while so it would seem logical that the club should have a few keepers in mind who we could get in, a kid who has never playedl league football is hardly ideal. We have been playing without a right midfielder leaving Eardley exposed and giving the team no width, the last couple of games we have played with two wingers and although performaces weren't exactly world class we were better and got 6 points. Alessandra gets injured so instead of using Wolfenden either on the right or up front, this is a player that Shez has described as the best finisher at the club, he leaves him on the bench until there are only 5 minutes to go and plays Smalley up front and plays with 3 central midfield players again. The thing that really got me today was only having 4 players on the bench, to me thats just unprofessional, we know that players are carrying knocks, we know that two of them have been ill all week yet we don't take a couple of kids with us in case anything happens. It does no harm whatsoever in taking them, Dowie used to do it all the time, the worst that happens is that they end up not in the squad but do get valuable experience of being involved in the pre-match experience which will do them the world of good in a few years when they make that step up. I know Sheridan is still leaning but he is making some very basic errors and doesn't seem to be learning from them. I really, really want Shez to succeed here and will support the lads at matches 110% whoever is in charge and however well/bad they play but next season we need a huge improvement

I notice Brooks Mileson has had enough of his play thing and pulled the plug on his financial support of Gretna. They are about to enter into admin whilst their Chief Exc as resigned and now they are expecting a player exodus and fire sale. Any chance we can send Alan Hardy up to pick some bones? nowt like being on the spot in the flesh so to speak...makin like a vulture!

 

Sorry edit link to players: http://www.gretnafootballclub.co.uk/first/profiles/

I've heard decent things about Innes, Baldacchino, Skelton and John Paul Kissock though i have never seen them myself just going off what my friend who goes to watch them every now and then has said.

I've heard a few people have a go at Smalley too. He is a player i really rate, he has pace, power, can cross the ball, has a good shot, can beat his man and can play on either wing or up front. but he just seems to have no confidence in himself and sometimes stands back and waits instead of getting stuck in. I have noticed Shez and Wright have got more patient with him during games and give him more praise and encouragement recently. He has been forced to play a bigger part in the first team than Shez would have liked this season which has probably affected him slightly, first team football is very different to reserve/youth team football and it takes some players a while to adjust to it

My nephew was a member of Chaddys gang from being about 2 hours old, like others have said brainwashing is the only way! My nephew is now 7 and has finally started wanting to come to latics (previously i've had to drag him there kicking and screaming!) previously his only interest in latics was chaddy but since he started playing football himself he has taken more of an interest in watching football too (he still enjoys seeing Chaddy more than us actually winning the game though!), though i fear he secretly wants to support united to have some success and to fit in with most of his friends but he would never dare admit that to me.

He has always had latics kits (home & away), chaddy owl teddys, latics footballs, coats, jumpers, posters in his bedroom - cost a bloody fortune though!!

Not sure, I don't think he can be the same player after his injuries and for me he would have to prove his fitness in the last few games of the season.

 

Having said that who have we got to replace him...if only Chris Taylor had his football brain we'd have a hell of a footballer on our hands!!

 

Perhaps he could still do it as Sheridan was OK on dodgy knees for a couple of seasons, but I would like to see him play just behind the strikers where I think he'd be more of a threat.

I think a mix of Lids and Smalley down the right next season. I don't think Taylor is the answer, tho a useful player for us to have in the squad, i think Smalley has more potential he just seems to lack a bit of confidence in himself at times

Wondered how long it'd be before someone trotted that out....

 

I saw him fit and playing thanks. Playing for Forest against us as I counted the goals going in. And also for Tranmere once. Couldn't understand him being brought here and then at Clyde, saw something I never thought a professional footballer could be capable of. He played half decent for us vs 10 man Southend and was gash for the rest to the preportions fo Mark Arber. Not a surprise one bit that the defence improved a million times once he left the scene.

 

Sorry...I'd like to see him do well and prove me wrong, but he's been gash...was before he arrived and has been since.

Takes more than seeing someone play 2 competitive games to fairly judge a player. Should he get back in our team when he's fit and he turns out to be an awful player for us then fair enough but he deserves the chance to fight his way back into the squad after he played through injury, i know lots of players do this but there are plenty that dont and it at least shows that he wants to play and not just pick up his wage

We haven't seen a fully fit Thompson play for us yet and at the beginning of the season when he did play (he was carrying an injury) he was playing in a pretty crap team, give they guy a chance before everyone starts saying how rubbish he is

I've heard so many people say they're not renewing season tickets next year. TTA are going to have to put a great offer out ( ala Bradford ) cos I really fear the worst next year.

I will buy a season ticket as long as they don't put the prices up again. Doing similar to Bradford would be a good idea but i can't see TTA reducing the prices that much. Perhaps an idea similar to Burnley, anyone who bought a season ticket this season would have got a free season ticket next season should they get promoted, perhaps we could offer a reduced rate for the 09/10 season for anyone who buys a season ticket for next season

Like others I have seriously considered not renewing my 20-odd year season ticket next time.

It's not the money - It's about enjoying my hard earned weekend off.

I have watched Latics over 35 years because I like football and they are my local team - Always will be. However, this is the first time I have wished I was doing something else on a Saturday, and believe me, I have seen us field some poor sides.

It is more than likely that I will renew next season (In the annual hope that things have improved), but if I don't I will quite happily be a cock - because I will be a cock who is enjoying himself on the golf course and not sat there thinking what another waste of money this is.

I know a lot of fans who would go home and away every week with me, they have drifted away and no longer miss going to the games - I'm pretty sure I wouldn't miss it either at the moment.

The club have had many thousands out of me in tickets and sponsorships, and may possibly get plenty more - but the moment I feel I am not enjoying being there, and would rather do something more entertaining I will be happy to be labelled whatever any 'true supporter' wishes to call me.

I think a lot of people are starting to feel the same. I have been stood/sat in the same area of the lower tier of the main stand since i was 6/7 years old and its always been the same people there week in week out never missing a game, over the last few weeks they have stopped coming and the ones that have are leaving early and many of them aren't bothering buying season tickets next season. If the club puts the prices up again then i probably wont be buying one either unless we make some decent signing this summer

I have been trying to get my nephew to come to games for ages and he has finally started wanting to come, i feel a bit sorry for him that his first taste of watching football is the crap that latics are serving up at the moment

Finally somebody else has realised that it is the players who are at fault and not Shez.

 

I feel another new pointless Shez Out poll starting soon.

These are the players that Shez brought into the club though. The only players out there last night who Shez didnt bring into the team was Stam, and you could argue that Taylor and Eardley were given their debuts before Shez took over. Last season we had the remains of Moores team and a couple of Shez signings this season its all Shez. If it was only the odd game where the players were letting him down then fair enough it could be argued it was just down to the players but its not, it's week after week of poor performances and its down to the manager to either correct it on the training pitch or change the system/players or just get the best out of the players, we have some decent league one players and some excellent young prospects all it needs is for someone to bring out the best in them and that is Sheridans job. I'm not one of the "Shez our brigade" but he needs to learn/improve sooner rather than later

Apart from that what can he do on our budget with our injuries?

The club has never had as much money to spend on players/wages since Chris Moore was here. Say what you like about Shez being unlucky in Jan, the likes of Ronnie Moore/Neil Warnock (managers hated by 99% of our fans for some reason) would have had players in and would have had back up players ready and waiting in case anything happened. He brought some decent players in on loan but it came too late

Crossley - 8 - He is playing carrying injuries and still one of our better performers most games

Eardley - 6 - not at his best

Lomax - 6 - one of his worst games for us so far i thought

Stammy - 7 - did ok, but was caught out for their goal (he played him onside) and both centre halfs made a few mistakes

Hazell - 7 - made a few mistakes last night

Tayls - 5 - no end product and made an awful challenge in the 2nd half

Macca - 7 - wasted on the right

Allott - 8 - excellent, one of few outfield players to come off with any credit last night.

Jarrett - 6 - anonymous in the first half, did a little better in the 2nd

Jordo - 7 - thought he was doing really well before he got injured

Lewis - 6 - didn't do much in the first half but did better in the 2nd half. He was ball watching a little too much last night i though

Leon - 6 - didn't really do much, hopefully it was just due to him being unfit

Smalley - 6 - didn't really do much when he came on. i prefer him through the middle than out wide

Can we have a thread like this about Taylor too?

 

He is crapper than Eardley by a country mile.

 

KtF,

 

Derek.

But Taylor is a self confessed latics fan so no-one can say anything bad about him!

I think Eardley is a very good prospect, at the moment he has the added responsibility of being captain, i think was a mistake giving it to him but Shez thought it would be a confidence booster for him, unnforunately it didnt work out that way and to take it off him now before Gregan comes back would do him no good either. He also has no-one playing in front of him, McDonald isn't a winger so naturally drifts inside. There is no leader in the back line either, Shez keeps shouting at Stam to talk more but it's not something that comes naturally to him and it's not something you can teach. Sometimes Eardley does make the wrong decisions and sometimes he tries to play passes that don't come off but he is still learning and he is willing to try things. We have a lot of good young prospects in and around our first team, unnfortunately we have too many of them in our first team with no real leaders in the team.

I think if Wolfy is given the chance to prove himself with a run of games he will make it. He took his goal well on Saturday too. I doubt he will get that chance now though.

If Constantine is fit he should be a pretty good signing, well done Shez. I'm surprised Leeds agreed to loan him out to us

i voted no he shouldn't be sacked but then yes if things haven't improved by Christmas and i think thats pretty fair. his first season he took over a good squad of players, brought in a couple of others and had an excellent first six months in charge. Since then he has struggled and that is in no small part due to limited experience for all the back room staff. I understand we have had a lot of injuries but you have to expect injuries during a season and he had money that the board were ready to give him in Jan, they wanted him to bring in players, yes we were unlucky on the last day of the transfer window but why wait that long, other clubs in our league managed to get players in.

Everyone points to Wenger/Royle/Frizzle etc of managers who are successful after being given time but that doesn't go for all managers Some people seem to think its automatic that if you give a manager time then he will come good, it doesn't work like that, some people you can give all the time in the world and they won't come good (im not saying that Shez comes under this category)

At the end of the day its up to TTA when they think its right to get rid of the manager. I do think that we need some consistancy within the management team and the playing squad and hopefully Shez will prove that he is the man to take us forward

Grabbans been and gone here and he wasnt much good really IMO. Plus, yes Murrays doing well but even if Shez wanted him i doubt he would have been able to spend 300K .. not his fault.

Yep, there are some cracking lower league players ill agree ... would love to see Bishop here.

He did have 300k to spend, he just doesn't know who he wants or he is looking at players that are not willing to drop down to league one. He now has a few months to set his sights on some realistic targets who will hopefully fire us to promotion next season

I wasn't a huge fan of Grabben either but he's only young so could have improved since he was here

I've read all the posts from last night and in my opinion like the majority of fans believe it would be stupid to even think about sacking Shez, but the stark truth of the matter is that if it were a Talbot or a Moore with no real connection with the club most on here would be wanting him out.

 

If we give Shez the time I'm sure he will get us promoted, but , will he get it, I fear if we don't see real progress and we're in a similar position next year then it may well be his last season. He's had better backing from TTA than most of our previous managers and money is still available for the right players.

 

We haven't had much luck with injuries , but every club in every league has to deal with that and that's why we have a squad. If I have one real critisism of Shez then it's his stubborness in playing people out of position.

 

It's 4 years since TTA bought the club and you have to say that whilst the off field activities have slowly progressed, where it matters most, on the pitch, it has been very dissapointing.

 

Sometimes Shez is his own worst enemy, when he makes silly statements, like:

 

"On our day we can beat anybody in this league" ........So can 20 other teams in this league and we've only managed it 11 times out of 33 attempts!

 

" We are going to attack! attack! attack!"..........since that boast, apart from a few goals against Yeovil, we've probably had one of our less successful footballing spells.

 

"The playoffs are still on, and 11 wins from 18 should be enough and I think we can do it!" .......the result has been 2 wins from 5 and now we only need 9 from 13!!!!

 

"Lomax is the best footballer at the club"...... So he plays a left sided midfielder ( who we've lacked all season ) out of position at left back gives Lomax a 3 year deal and dumps him on the bench!

When he has played, I don't he has had a bad game and at Everton he was superb. What happened in the next game....he was relegated to the bench!

I really want Shez to succeed but he has to learn fast and next season I feel is what's going to make or break him. Coupled with the new stadium development we have to deliver on the pitch. Crowds are dwindling still further and next season without real progress the average will drop below 5000. I joked with a steward in the bar last night saying do I really have to go back and watch that rubbish and he said that a few people had already left at half time!!! Now I know it was cold last night and the first half was garbage, but to go home at half time...well that speaks volumes!

 

TTA will not be content to stick around in this division for much longer and no matter how nice the ground looks if you don't have a product on the pitch worth getting out of your armchair for then you simply won't have a sustainable club!!

I pretty much agree with all of that. If things haven't changed by about Christmas time i think TTA will start seriously thinking about getting rid of Shez. When they got here didn't they say they wanted to be an established team in the Championship within 5 years?

I went for Allot, best of a bad bunch really. i thought Eardley did ok too though, put some excellent balls into the box in the first half

I started something similar a month or two back, but seriously now, we aint gonna make the play offs, we are nowhere near good enough. So come end of season, who do you think should go who do you think should stay?

 

Out of Contract Players

 

Liddell: Release. Good servant to the club but on a big wage, and a club our size can not afford to carry people if we are to go anywhere.

 

Stam: Release. Been off the boil recently, injured again, i would bet for more than 4 weeks.

 

Macca: Keep. I initially thought to release as he goes missing too much but he has improved alot, and given ur current probs up front I definately think he is worth a punt!!!

 

Crossley: Keep, but bring in another keeper. Norm has defo saved us a few times this season but next yr he will be another year older. Either bring in a young keeper who will potentially replace him, or bring in a first choice keeper and have norm as no2.

 

Loanees

 

Livermoore: Keep if possible. Steady player who can play comfortably in three positions. Good left foot. Would make a good captain too (he was captain of milwall wasnt he when they got to fa cup final)

 

Jarrett: Undecided. Had a shocker last night but will make mind up at end of loan period

 

Other Players:

 

Thompson: Others would defo say get rid here, but I still think he was playing injured at the start of the season. give him a chance to get fit and give him a run in the team, if he still doesnt impress then release. Although it wouldnt surprise me if he left anyway.

 

Opinions please....

Lids - i'd keep him unless we bring in someone better than him. He would probably have to take a wage cut though

Stam - i'd keep him too, he's on pay as you play this season so i see no problem in him being given another one next season

Macca - Keep

Crossley - would probably keep him too, he has made some excellent saves this season but isn't the most agile of keepers. would definately need to bring another decent keeper in too though

Jarrett/Livermoore - would think about keeping both of them but it depends who else is available over the summer

keep Thompson, he isn't a bad player he just didn't get off to a good start think we might see a different player next season

Yes. That's it. I didn't see him backtracking every time he got the ball and playing it back to the fullback at best. I didn't see Eardley making the runs in front of him, and being vastly out of position when he didn't get the ball as Liddell couldn't play the ball to him as he was facing in the wrong direction.

 

Once he couldn't beat a man* he stopped trying to do so. That brought the whole right hand side to a standstill and made Eardley look like a complete plonker half the time (not that it is much better now for him). The production went downhill and he genuinely wasn't worth his place - and I'd struggle to put him in front of the emerging Smalley on the bench myself.

*I don't mean running past him, just enough to play the ball productively.

He does need people to move for him though, when he was playing at the beginning of the season he didn't have Hughes up front and he didn't have McDonald making runs from midfield. His first two seasons he also had Wellens playing inside him who was constantly making himself available to everyone which is something we have really missed since he left. I'm not saying his distribution is perfect but it is better than most of our other players and if people make runs he will pick them out.

I couldn't give a rats ass what anyone gets called on a message board, I would actually prefer it if people were able to say what they wanted to say and sod the "family board" mentality, kids these days know most of the swear words and it isn't a message boards job to police what the yuuuut of today see. The only people to get offended by swear words are too uptight and can go themselves if you ask me.

Any kids on here most likely go to watch football anyway so hear a lot more swear words there then they would here!