beag_teeets

Yup, I've got a bad back and not been able to make it. I think Joseph will be getting another email. I've signed in late but it looks like they might not have gotten to the bottom of the issues as it sounds like they are having to do the commentary over the phone.

It does lend it that lovely 1980s feel when they used to do radio and TV commentary from places like Red Star Belgrade over a crackly line rather than something that is being transmitted from Oldham, via a high speed network connection. I was having a shit day at work when I wrote my other email and it was a wonderful stress reliever, I've got another bad day lined up for Monday so can put 15 mins aside to mail Joseph.

I'm going to kick off even though I think all football commentary should be done with that late 70/80s telephone effect, make it sound like it matters.

I'd like to see an older head alongside Edmundson, actually our whole defence would benefit from experience there. Him, Hamer and Stott need an older pro to guide them through. I've concerns about Clarke's fitness and hope that we can bring someone in on loan or from out of contract to help our defence develop.

I think there was a post on the fisul site about the issue with iFollow on Saturday so I dropped them a line to which they have responded.

Quote

Dear iFollow,

I have been a subscriber of the various services that have offered online match commentary of Oldham Athletic matches for as long as I can remember and have received a substandard service in return for my subscription fees throughout. None of the service providers offering this service have been as bad as iFollow.

In the early days it was acceptable to have a poor service as the technology was new, however these are now tried and tested technologies and the customer expectation is much higher yet your iFollow offering falls far short of what is considered acceptable these days.

Firstly, on Saturday 11th August 2018 it took until about 15:15 for the commentary to start being broadcast. The preceding 15 minutes comprised of your “Thank you for subscribing to iFollow, your match will resume shortly” recorded message for 15 FUCKING MINUTES! I could follow the match via fans posting on twitter or other websites but not through the service I pay for!

Once the commentary started it was fine until half time when the same bastard message is played on a loop for 15 or so minutes! I understand that you will have systems in place to detect against dead air but for fucks sake! What am I supposed to do for 15 minutes whilst that brain prolapsing inducing shite just goes on and on….. If I mute it I miss the match restarting, if I leave it playing I lose more of my grip on sanity that is already weak from having to support a team who now time waste at 1-1 in the pissing 4th division away to Forest Green

Anything, literally ANYTHING would be better than the current stock music and far too oft repeated “Thank you for subscribing to iFollow, your match will resume shortly”. Whale noise, classical, 80s classics, the sound of an abattoir taking delivery of a full flock of sheep and stamping them to death or even a recording of my parents having enthusiastic sex would be preferable to what you currently provide.

Seriously, this is your second season, how are you still pumping this tosh out? It makes me want to chew my own feet off at half time but to have to put up with it for the first fucking fifteen minutes of the match as well? That’s taking it too fucking far. I’m aware of what I’m attempting to listen to, it’s a Saturday or Tuesday and there is a Latics away fixture, who is this message even designed for? You aren’t going to attract new customers with this, you’re going to struggle to keep the ones you do have!

Please, please, pretty fucking please change it in time for the Yeovil away fixture on 21st August. I know it is part of your dead-air failsafe but   I don’t know how much more I can take of it!

 

They have replied with:

 

Quote

Thank you for your detailed and in depth critique of our service.

We are working to make improvements to have the service running at a exceptional level.

We are aware of an issue with the feed during the last game that caused some subscribers to miss part of the live action.

First of all we would like to apologise for the inconvenience this caused and assure you that we are working with everyone involved to make sure we deliver a reliable and enjoyable service at all times.

We have identified what the cause of the issue was and a fix has been put in place to make sure that this does not affect games in the future

Once again we would like apologies for the inconvenience this caused and thank you for your patience and understanding whilst this issue was fixed.

Kind regards

Joseph,iFollow support

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, deyres42 said:

Great gesture.

 

Could have picked a match when there will be a few more in the ground though perhaps...

None of us could wait that long. Besides Joe's in his 60s isn't he? Might not make it till we next have a crowd?

On 7/31/2018 at 9:29 AM, lookersstandandy said:

Respected OWTB members - in the all time reputation leaderboard - with whom the competition & beneficiaries would greatly benefit, that are yet to have actively participated in Prediction League; Can we convince some of you to join up?

 

@leeslover, @jsslatic, @oafcprozac, @Lee Sinnott, @palmer1, @Crusoe, @beag_teeets, @deyres42, @Diego_Sideburns, @Monty Burns, @Magic Mikey @Frankly Mr Shankly, @kowenicki, @PlayItLivo, @Twisbrogan, @longtimeblue, @the_mighty_bosh, @pukka, @Latics and England, @maddog & @TheBigDog

 

 

Just seen your message. As others have said, thanks for the invite! As others have also said, I struggle to get time to even login here these days and I've orphaned too many fantasy football teams before the end of September to know that I'd fade just as quick with this

Ooh, we'll cut a dash in the fourth division wearing those and that's for sure!

Bunn is one of my all time ever favourite players. He transformed that side into a real force, the missing piece in the jigsaw.

I have no idea how he will be as manager, no idea whether he was the best candidate or what will happen from August. I just hope he does well, by God do we need a good season at the top of a table even if it is the shit division. I'd like to see the young kids played with a mix of experience, we need some long term planning and team building, get a style of play and get good at it. I've forgotten what it feels like to be at Boundary Park with a winning team.

As usual I'm contrary and actually like it.

There are teething troubles but these will be ironed out, does show how hard being a ref or lino actually is, they usually get most things right and if the technology is able to assist get more decisions right then I'm all for it. I don't even mind the delay, it needs the TV commentators to stop whinging and going on about the time it takes, sometimes the decision isn't clear cut even after multiple replays and I'd rather get correct decisions then not. Perhaps it would benefit from an 'Umpire's call' thing where even after several views of replays the VAR ref can't 100% guarantee the correct decisions it goes back to the decision the on pitch ref made? Maybe with a time limit? 

I've liked Holloway since his first loan spell, he can hold the ball up, plays the pass in front of the man for him to run on to and can play up front on his own or with a partner. He's had most of his Latcs career with us at the wrong end of the table, under several managers chopping and changing the team around him and I don't think he's had a run of 10 games with a steady partner or a settled midfield behind. Most of his chances have been created by himself and had very little supply from midfield just needing him to knock it in.

He's another member of the strikers graveyard at BP but until we work out how to get non-class above strikers (Like Doyle) to score we'll keep adding names to this list.

I've never been to a fan bar. I've been to places with other sorts of exotic entertainment and services but no fan dancers. Well, there was this one time...

massive bitcoin bubble at the mo, most just waiting to cash out before the crash. I'm supportive of the idea but it looks like the carpetbaggers have lumped on bitcoin at the same time the lower middle class have in the states. There's a bumpy ride ahead in this space

Sad news.

Would've taken a brave man to pull him off on Tuesday.

9 minutes ago, BP1960 said:

 

Didn't we have a similar situation with some Hungarians a few years ago, which didn't work out?

Might not have worked out for you but we wouldn't have my cousins Boris and Gustav if it wasn't for that Hungarian link up!

Beag_teeets hates it when people speak about themselves using the third person

I'm hoping that Fane kicks on and becomes the defensive midfielder that he could be and agree with you that it is the creative side that we need to work on. Fane, Edmondson or Stott could play or give cover as defensive midfield leaving room in the squad for cover in the creative midfield position.

We should defend from the front, team game and each man has a defensive job to do unless there are a free spirit like Harkins, Baxter, Boshell... Many of our clean sheets last season came from the defence in front of Ripley and the cover midfield supplied at times.

I'd love it if Ripley came back as he does look a good keeper prospect, he's still learning the game but has good shot stopping, commands the area, appears to have a big personality, is a fully paid up member of the Goalkeepers Union and I know my opinion of him was elevated to hero after the double penalty save but is it possible that a good enough keeper would do if the 10 players in front of him pull their weight?

Goals win games, goals change games and we don't score enough. The defence and midfield almost link up well but there is a disconnect between the midfield and the forwards that we need to solve, hopefully Gardner can do that? If we score more it takes a bit of pressure off the other end, towards the end of last season if we scored first we won. I think? There may be some alternative facts that prove otherwise but that's how I remember it so that's what counts.

Ripley was a very good base of the defence last season which gave the players in front of him something to build on and the confidence to go on and win those clean sheets and it would be great to have him back here but if it doesn't happen then as long as we sort out putting the ball in at the other end we may still do OK without him.

Agreed. Stott looks like the next one off the production line, enjoy him while we can, he won't be here long.

Hope the same can be said about Edmondson and Mantack. If they all continue to develop the team will be doing well and might even be able to keep hold?

Either way, I enjoy seeing the going lads come through the ranks at the club and long may it continue

Left back has been a problem area for some time, I'd like to see another one come in who can perform there rather than some one just filling in, we've got cover in most other positions but Hunt should be a good first choice. Stott did ok there when he filled in and it made a difference having a physical player at left back so thinking about it he isn't a bad option there.

Need to get Dummmminnghammnmnmnahmam back firing on the other side, he was well off the pace when he signed permanently and then injury stopped him getting his form back. 

And thinking more about the defence, we played a three at times last season and with Clarke, Gerrard, Edmondson, Wilson and Stott who could be part of a three we do have options across the back line. I still think we need:

2xKeeper

1xStriker

1xWinger

1xCM

Zelda Breath of the Wild. Fuck me! It is so good!

I always wondered what "NI Contributions" meant on my pay slip, now I know.

I'd take a season of a Ronnie Moore/Dave Penney tactical hybrid if it meant that we got out of this league via promotion. We can do tippy tappy pretty football once we're established in the Championship if needs be. 

We've had 20 years of relative dross with the odd bright spot, let's try to win very ugly and if it gets results so be it. If you want entertainment then go to the circus.

Looks like he has wandering hands....

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/former-manchester-city-player-admits-13220648

Bellend.

2 hours ago, View Of Golden Gate said:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/30/disabled-readers-austerity-disability-cuts Someone read this and tell me the cuts are for the best, and explain how. Don't say this is just three extreme cases, because I know of people are suffering because of cuts. 

 

Has May and/or her friends and family suffered? Have Tory benefactors suffered? Tell me how this is the society you not only want to live in, but will actively pursue? Tell me it is not time for a change, this government is broken. No-one can tell me why the Tories are the correct choice, the main argument is that they are the best of a bad bunch. Labour are trying to be positive, trying to inspire and grow. The Tories are cutting more and more, what happens when we stop overspending? Do we magically have the ability to start spending more? Or do they stay at the same depressing rate? This government are not trying to grow, they are trying to survive election by election. Problem is that is leaving some just trying to survive day to day, ask May and her cohorts how she intends to help.

I didn't want to highlight as much of your post but I think we're on the same page.

We're in a Gallowayian state of having to chose between two cheeks of the same arse whilst getting shafted up our own arse by a perceived choice of 10 inchers with varying amounts of lube.

None of the parties should've produced manifestos that cover more than 6 months as shit happens, Brexit, Trump, Arena bomb, Bataclan, oil price crash, German elections, Putin.... anything can have a profound effect on what happens here yet British politics thinks it operates in a bubble separate to global events. The electorate divide themselves into 1/4 not giving a toss, 1/4 blue, 1/4 red and 1/4 float. The parties rely on core support, old tired lines like Labour always leave a mess, Tories underinvest or all as bad as each other and we lap it up whilst occasionally having a different set of stuffed shirts trying to get the real adults, the Civil Service who actually run shit to implement policies that won't work in the world we actually live in.

Where are the ideas guys? What does the result look like? What does the society look like that you are trying to create? What's your plan for convincing other nation states to sign-up to your vision? Or is it actually that you don't have any plan and are just seeking to be elected to continue the status quo?

We get dragged into the minutia of £billion here or %of GDP there and acheive fuck all apart from managerialism whilst Rome burns and the Titanic still sinks regardless of where the deckchairs are. Still, whilst we keep arguing amongst ourselves against our collective better interests and get shit thrown at us like multi-room Sky, iPhones with bigger screens, avocados in January and toothpaste that guarantees white teeth we appear to be happy so why should anything change whilst the turkeys still vote for xmas.

On 29/03/2017 at 0:02 PM, rummytheowl said:

Can't be arsed with any of it. I'm sure there are far too many jobs in Government - I'm not voting any more, and please spare me the 'But, but you don't have a voice' line. I can't determine who's the least incompetent to vote for, and when it's come to that it's time to stop.

 

I used to trot that line out but considering I have now actively abstained in the last 5 elections that I've been eligible for I'm with you. I can't be arsed with any of the candidates, parties, choices or anything else up for elections. It is all a sham that really changes little. Power lives elsewhere, always has.