Oh Heck C-Beck

Based off the one game I've seen it's the midfield that need binning off, but sadly they are not on short term deals

Because they've brainwashed half the fans into thinking staying in League 1 is what football is about rather than running a proper football club. Too many people think clinging to our position in this league is a success while more and more fans slowly drift away. For what it's worth I think tta came in with good intentions, but those clearly disappeared a while ago.

First time to see this team, and thought the midfield was woeful especially Winchester , banks and green. Croft should get some credit, and McLaughlin. Good play for the second goal from Erwin and McKay but overall a very bad performance. I struggle to comment on the defenders or attackers because the midfield didn't support either.

I agree much better for just a few people to go in and ask questions at this moment in time.

Personally I don't think it's necessarily investment which is the main problem. It's the constant stream of new players, coaches and managers that is turning people away. What happened to bringing through our own players into the first team? What happened to having a few experienced pros on longer contracts. It's this constant chopping and changing that has seen my interest in the club decline in recent years. It's quite clear why Sheridan jumped ship in the summer to me. After steadying the ship I think he wanted to build something yet we had to rip it all up and start again. If we can't get investment and can't afford to build a team with longer term plans then I'll take downsizing and an emphasis on bringing through youth over this constant revolving door :censored:e.

I think it is the lack of a long term plan that is seeing the fans slowly drift away. Most people want to support a club, not a never ending revolving door of journeyman players and managers. This league 1 survival or bust mentallity does my head in and is one of the main reasons my interest is on the wain. Give us something to buy into, whether it is recruiting managers with an attacking philosophy, or a desire to bring through young players of our own and it could go a long way to stopping the rot. I just can't see anything like this happening under the current ownership.

Dp

I don't think the academy sides will be very competitive. Over here in Japan they added a few top academy sides to the 3rd division this season and they are struggling.

Out of interest BP what indicates a decent player could step up to a higher level? I watched a 5th tier cup final out here in Japan and one of the teams had a CB that reminded me so much of Tarkowski. He was tall, strong, had a decent range of passing and was comfortable dribbling out of defence. I was surprised he was only catching at the semi-pro/amateur level.

A perfectly run OAFC for me would be a club that wants to be a football club first and foremost. A club that appreciates it's fans, playing an important role in the local community. A club that is dedicated to bringing through its own players to the first team, a club that has a manager tasked with playing attacking football. Preferably a manager that wants to stay here for a while. I don't care about league position, or what league we play in anymore. I don't really care if we don't have a lot of cash. I think we have a large enough fanbase to achieve the above and remain professional and if we did put plans like the above in place I'm sure we'd be in a better position in terms of recruiting new fans, and in the long term more investment, even if it did mean downsizing and putting funds into youth development over lower league journeyman.

I'm just guessing too but I think if we are struggling to stump up 1800 for a decent player it indicates we are seriously struggling to compete at this level, possibly more so than Shez expected

I'd have thought 1800 a week was pretty average for this level and not a top earners wage.

I always thought it was pretty common for players to not want to get cup tied, especially if it's just a months loan. Why would you risk ruining the chance to play in the cup later in the season. What's happening these days, players get slagged off for smallest irrelevant things.

Whatever people think about Coleman it really is the other end of the pitch people should be moaning about if we go down. We are joint lowest scorers in the league I think. I'd expect most keepers at this level to make at least 1 mistake or potential :censored: up a game. A flawless keeper would be playing in the Champions League and until we actually start scoring that is the type of keeper we need to make the difference.

I have been in Japan for around 2 years now and while I have missed the Latics, not having a team to support out here has got me into groundhopping, especially in the lower leagues. Here is an article I wrote about my local team out here in Japan called Nara Club. It has been picked up by a UK football website. Football out here in Japan is still developing so it gives an interesting insight into the development of a professional club. There is a real appetite for football out here, but there professional divisions are still in the process of expanding. I can imagine its similar to England about 100 years ago. Anyway I thought I'd post it here in case anyone is interested in reading about football around the world. http://inbedwithmaradona.com/journal/2016/2/8/drum

its a well written update, so I guess it's bad news regarding the non matchday revenue and Tarky sell on clause, as it skirts around giving a direct answer to these questions. I'm interested in how much it would cost a would be investor to buy back the clubs assets. Have any figures been touted for this?

But we are the mighty Latics. We don't loan off the likes of Burton;)

I think relegation is still the likely option. Just don't think a squad that wins only three games in half a season will be able to turn it around so drastically, regardless of a new manager. Just hope Shez gets some backing whatever happens.

Agree, if we were to change again so quickly, I think I'd give up following Latics until we put a board in place with a plan. I hope the fans can also be patient.

I'm not overjoyed going back to Shez but I'd much rather have him in place than the last two managers, so not disappointed either. Last time I think it was right for him to go, because he had a very talented squad at his disposal that he didn't seem to want to use. Many players he signed and never played went on to play at a higher level than we have achieved since. I'm not really sure what the problem was in his final season. Expectations were different back then, we still had a board that was backing the manager to have a go at getting out of the division. Maybe Hughes was a massive problem and a mistake to bring into the club as mentioned above, so it could possibly work out better this time. This time expectations are zero. I just hope he doesn't shoulder the blame if he doesn't turn things around. I don't think that would be fair.

I've said it a number of times, but whenever I see a post like this I think we just need to go back to being a football club that the fans can care about. :censored: the desperate need for success and the revolving door policy for players and managers. Install a likeable manager with a remit to bring through and develop our own players and set a side a little budget to bring in some older heads who can entertain and I think everyone would be much happier whatever division we are playing in. And who knows having some stability and a plan might even lead to bigger crowds and the possibility of some investment.

Luis Lourenco

I've already reached breaking point. my full support will return when we stop this revolving door policy and actually have a plan in place for running the club. The amounting managers and players we get through is an absolute joke.

Are other local clubs of a similar level like Rochdale and bury able to bring through their own players?

What's happened to the youth setup? We always used to hear how great it was. I'd rather invest in this than more lower league journeymen. What do others feel?