Frankly Mr Shankly

7 minutes ago, Fervid said:

It happens at nearly every big club the home fans get on the players backs if their not pulling their weight. It’s not rocket science and has been going on for years. 

It doesn't always. I've been at plenty of matches as a neutral and heard unbridled support in response to going a goal behind at home. It helps when the home team are banging on the door with tons of crosses, pressure and shots, which we just don't do.

Negativity manifests itself rapidly here when things don't go our way. It's a groan and resignment to "It's happening again". It just feels different with us. I'm sure 'pissboil' is a term we've exclusively created.

MM's not said that just to try and make his job easier. It's a real millstone round our necks. Marc White said exactly the same thing on our phone in over a year ago. He uses it as a motivational tool and a strategy. It has to be something we get better at as a support base. I'm not holding my breath, but I think if MM can build a team which at least asserts some control on the game at home, I expect most fans will be able to see that, even if it's not the finished article. He mentioned patience and he will get that, as long as we stop turning into a team of wet wipes at home to Boston fucking United.

44 minutes ago, latics22 said:

“Try” Jesus wept how hard is it?

A piece of piss if you just want adequate. Probably a lot harder if you want one that's going to play at L1 with ease in 2-3 years time.

Absolutely no way on earth we're going to start this season without at RB. There will be a Wicker Man with MM and GB inside it on the club's car park if it came to that.

2 minutes ago, latics22 said:

That didn’t answer the question 

Basically, there are players that he may have to use next season that he doesn't like and doesn't want. He isn't going to tear into them and name them publically.

1 hour ago, Monty Burns said:

is it today? is it streamed anywhere?

Live commentary by Suzanne Geldard: https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/sport/24336526.fans-forum-oldham-athletic-manger-board-meet-fans/

1 hour ago, Crusoe said:

No idea what this chap brought to the table...

There's a feature on him in the Oldham Times. The Rothwells brought him in when the takeover wheels started to motor to act as a sort of legal project manager. Given the speed in which they got it over the line whilst dealing with an utter basketcase like Abdallah and a hardened businessman like Blitz suggest he's best in class. It sounds like it was his choice to step down to pursue other interests but his value was most likely when we were transitioning rather than now. 

2 hours ago, latics22 said:

His record is hardly exciting, I’d rather keep Mike. We have garner to be a pain in the arse

Alright Statsbomb. Calm down.

On 5/18/2024 at 11:09 AM, aaronoafc said:

Speaking of Chesterfield, Joe Quigley from there is linked with us now. 

I’d 1000% have him in. Total pain in the arse last season, him.

57 minutes ago, nzlatic said:

Are you sure? I have it on good authority that the physio room has been taken over so it can house the statsbomb supercomputer. When we need a player, Darren Royle goes in the room, puts the headset on and speaks into the microphone... "computer, we need a striker". After a few minutes of clicks and whirrs, the console lights up and a ticker tape comes out with 3 recommendations on it, selected purely because of their stats. DR then chooses the name, feeds it back into the computer and clicks the button for 3 year contract. The computer then faxes the club in question with contract.

 

Who needs scouts?

Shhh. Don't tell @BP1960 about the microchips all players have fitted into their boots from the Northwest Counties league upwards.

4 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Westworld, Yul Bryner rebelled  didn't he. 

 

and look what happened to him. No thank you. AND I never poked fun out of CP30 either. You’re right. Most of the world will be fucked. Not me though.

8 hours ago, BP1960 said:

Take out the human element and you might as well leave it to A! alone - and we can see the dangerous path that is leading to in society.

Well I’m always polite to Alexa in our house. That’ll be considered by our robot overlords when they eventually take over the world. I won’t be taken out to a field and laser-gunned in the back of the head.

Be hilarious if Shitpeas turned up wearing one of those latex heads and whipped it off in the middle of it to challenge DR and LR on Stolen Stadium-gate. I literally wouldn't rule that out.

3 hours ago, Dave_Og said:

 

Agreed.  Be much better (potentially!) a few weeks before the season starts.  

It's curious. I'm in agreement but I can only assume it's when DR / LR want to do it more than anything else. Perhaps they want to do it to drum up a little more positivity and convert those wavering ST renewers, given the extended earlybird deadline?

1 hour ago, Lags said:

Lundstrum came build as a box to box midfielder. He maybe, but a painfully slow one. Sprinting back to make a break up tackle he is not. So for me he's a luxury player who others need to do the defensive work for him. 

I think we saw flashes of what he's capable of. Decent with his feet and tenacious. You mention he was unable to break up a tackle but the part he played in our goal at home to Rochdale where he combined with (Garner I think) to mug the Dale player, punch through and slip it to Hope was exactly what he's decent at. Similarly, at home to Chesterfield in the build up to our penalty, his reciept of the ball and turn to feed through Dallas was what we want to see much more of.

21 hours ago, AndyB2 said:

Conlon is supposed to be that. Problem is he plays alongside sheron and McGahey most of the time. Maybe Hammond will step up but he has got a long way to go. Hopefully see a different lundstrum next season. 

Once we see a fulcrum in midfield brought in which firmly replaces a fairly robust, but in no way dynamic  McGahey, solidifying it and able to close down play quickly I expect to see a light-and-day difference. Add in some pace on either flank and you’re providing an environment for others to thrive in.
 

I believe Lundstram can be a real asset but I’m still unsure about Conlon and his appetite / hunger for success. Providing him much better movement and options when he’s on the ball will give him no further excuses to go into a shell.

Good interview from Darren. I don't mind these from time to time. It's all that's required. We don't need deep details, we just need to be reminded from time to time that good hands are at the wheel. They care, the Rothwells care, and sometimes you forget Darren's a fan as much as any of us are. 

I know some comments in this thread are wanting him to specifically state the mistakes he takes ownership for but it's not neccessary. He mentioned growth strategy or something which translates as no harbouring blame and just focus on what they can do better next time. Couldn't agree more with this point, we all make mistakes in life and DR has the lions share of the most difficult decisions at the club. I'll be forever grateful for him bringing the Rothwell family - one with no real football nous - to the club. He'll always be cut an extra amount of slack for that reason alone.

Re-energised already for the new season.

14 hours ago, PlayItLivo said:

 

Hopefully 4 of them are midfielders.

 

It's been our biggest weakness all season. The inability to control games and lack of creativity. Plug that midfield with as much quality as possible, and the defence isn't under as much cosh and will stand up much better and we won't concede as many. The likes of Norwood and Garner won't have to do as much leg work and can focus on banging them in. 

 

 

 

 

Been banging this drum since we dropped into non-league. Midfield quality wins you divisions. Fucking hell, Chesterfield had Grimes at the back and still pissed the league. 

6 minutes ago, Boyyou said:

Agreed. And this is where the club are backing MM to wheel and deal to create space to improve the squad

He will and better players will be brought in. I'm pragmatic enough to expect we still won't quite be the barnstorming HMS Piss The League model quite yet but I'm expecting a much stronger push at the top and a team that doesn't roll over as at home as soon as young, energetic opposition press us through the middle. Hopefuly it's us that will be doing more of that.

3 hours ago, JoeP said:

On a tenuously related matter, Coventry seem to have had the complete stuffing knocked out of them following their Wembley FA Cup semi-final injustice. 

 

Maybe they've taken the baton off us and will face 30 years of decline, while we'll power (upwards) through leagues..

 

Lump on...

With Mark Robins at the helm. It’s rather poetic if that happens.

2 hours ago, League one forever said:

Wow. . had to make it personal.

Interesting. 

 

It wasn't  meant as a criticism of your character, I'll make that clear. But the lengths you go to visibly show your displeasure at the methods MM seems to be employing seems to be beyond the pale for me. It feels like you're desperate to be proved right.

Whether the methods of calling out those who just won't cut it with him - when the bulk of the team are still contracted beyond next season - works is something we'll see play out in time. I'd like to expect that the dressing room won't be like some kind of gossipy knitting circle with pissed off incumbant players **cough cough Hogan cough** having poisionous little quiet chats with new signings in the corners of dressing rooms, Trojan horse style. So what if a bit of that seeped out publically. Bad culture has to be rooted out by the man in charge. I'm backing him to go some way to doing that. You're expressing severe doubts about it.

48 minutes ago, League one forever said:

How many of the incumbent squad will talk favourably of Mellon? 
 

Hudson? 

 

Not a question you can honestly answer since I don't know them personally. As don't you.

Look, I get it. You don't like MM. The way he goes about it all eats under your skin. Anyone would think you were in that dressing room and you'd react negatively to him. It might be an insight into your personality, y'know?

14 minutes ago, Hemel latic said:

Mellon could be an inhibiting factor here. The way he's frozen players out and his talking down of the current squad would set alarm bells ringing for me as a potential employee.

Could be, couldn't be. Players talk to each other and have a wide network. If it dissuades one who doesn't like to bust a gut, but pursuades one who has a strong work ethic it might not be a bad thing. Players might look at him as a serial promotion winner too. Definitely two sides to view this, depending on your outlook.

Don't think the spread looks as bad as most are making out. 11 clubs next season in the midlands or north vs 13 darn sarf. By god it's a shit league though.

2 hours ago, JoeP said:

 

I wonder how much word gets around about how we play and how a lot of strikers with a decent reputation have come here and failed. Unless I'm after a pay-day, I wouldn't give us a seconds thought if I was Madden.  It's career suicide...

All depends on how much belief they place in the manager to sew the seeds of success for them. Think that has a big part to play in where players move and if that manager sells their vision well enough, then they'll come.

Being here hasn't done the likes of Davis Keillor-Dunn or Mike Fondop any harm either so it's not a given you'll be kissing goodbye to your career. It might be a touch naive on my part but I truly believe the majority of players would trade in the chance of success for making a few hundred quid a week more at a club destined to be fighting the drop. Obviously performance consistancy has been quite poor, but we are a club that's [slowly] getting pieces together for a genuine promotion push and that has to be an attraction, whichever way you look at it.

Huge season and without doubt our best chance to go hard at the title. There isn't a team that screams 100pt title winners and potentially Barnet and Southend look amongst the bookies favourites.

2 hours ago, League one forever said:

I’m not sure you know mate, I don’t there’s many (if any) who will match his wages. 
 

Best case I can see- is if another club will pay a portion of what he earns here and we give him the rest as a pay off. But I can’t see there being the budget for that - if MM is to believed. 

There will be plenty interested in him. Fleetwood, Accrington, Salford and possibly Tranmere will all potentially have an eye on him and need someone of his calibre. He'll be gone.

Not sure on Madden. I can see there being interest for him as well. He played 130+ games for Fleetwood so will be a natural gravity. Reading the comments from County fans on X suggests he still has plenty in the tank to offer.