chinapig

To reinforce your point, his objection to signing Defoe* appears to have been a significant factor in his sacking by Sunderland. Do as you're told, get sacked. Disobey an order, get sacked. The life of a football manager. *he was proved right of course.

Cooper left Swansea because they were cutting their costs, which made him an unlikely candidate for us. Not that he was likely to bend the knee to Ashton in the way Johnson and Holden did anyway.

Being Bristolian is nothing to do with it, it's a question of the culture of the club. Cosy is the word I tend to use but passive works, as does complacent and no doubt many similar adjectives. Players coming here know they can make a pretty good living with no real pressure to achieve anything. Mediocrity is tolerated with a shrug of the shoulders and a "meh". Like him or not those are not Nigel's standards, which brings him into conflict with our semi-detached owner and invisible Chairman. He's not a forelock tugger like his 2 immediate predecessors. I doubt he can win the battle though, Steve simply doesn't admit to ever getting anything wrong

The problem is he has to try to change the culture not just of the squad but the whole club, including those above him. He has made a number of comments that make it clear he is not impressed with how the club has been run. More power to his elbow for that but if he upsets young Jon too much Daddy will not be pleased. Before we know it he'll be out and another yes man appointed who will make sure that he declares how great the Lansdowns are on a weekly basis.

Steve has just released a statement. It reads as follows: "It's my club and I'll do what I like. Get your season tickets now while stocks last."

If he says how hard it is playing against 10 men I may have to reconsider my support for him.

Didn't somebody buy Palace then sell to Simon Jordan the next day? But presumably Craig Hope is just another member of the global conspiracy against the plucky underdogs so can be disregarded.

I don't do Twitter but on today's Price of Football pod today he was clear that 15 points would be deducted if creditors did not get at least 25p in the £. Possibly recorded before what he said on Twitter? Interestingly, he also said Ashley may still be hovering but is being blocked because Morris doesn't like him. It comes as no surprise to me if Morris is still pulling the strings.

We'll have to see how it pans out but Quantuma's first duty is supposed to be to the creditors. We could end up with a situation where the taxpayer gets shafted and the local council tax payer pays for the stadium. All in effect to benefit Mel Morris OBE, erstwhile hero to Derby fans, a business ambassador who screwed local businesses. To them that hath it shall be given etc.

Well, when he managed them in the Championship he did improve their position from 6th to, um..., 6th.

And according to the Derby forum Maguire is both part of the conspiracy and doesn't know anything about football finance anyway.

I'm sure they'll take it to the EFL imminently.?

In the modern game I think it's often better to think in terms of roles rather than positions. Take the various England right backs for example. Walker, Trippier, James and Alexander Arnold. All called right backs but each performs a different role for their club side.

At youth level Ajax players had to play in a variety of positions to develop a wide range of skills. No idea if they still do that.

Gerry Sweeney played midfield and full back. Trevor Tainton, winger who became one of our best ever midfielders imo.

The actual words were "I am not in the recruitment department". That is literally true of course, if pedantic, but he seemed keen to shut down discussion on the matter. I did not claim btw that he said he was not involved in recruitment. He confirmed again that we do not plan to appoint a head of recruitment. The question nobody is going to ask is whether that is his decision, Gould's, Steve's or a mutual one. What if for example he wanted one and the club said no? When asked if he could expand on what he had apparently said in the past about tweaking recruitment he just said no and that was down to the club - iirc he used the phrase "club policy". It's hard to tell with Nigel as he is so irascible but these are more potential signs of a disconnect with the club if you factor in also his (correct) description of Steve's previous transfer policy as bonkers and his response to Jon saying we are underperforming. Since then we seem to have had complete silence from the club, as others have pointed out. Those who want Nigel out may get their wish perhaps but they may not get the pleasure of him being sacked.

Watch the pre-match press conference, those were his very words. He didn't seem to like being asked about the subject. Which may be just him being grumpy (as if?) or may be more significant. Who knows?

Depends how you define a recruitment team. Nigel confirmed again the other day that we don't plan to bring in a head of recruitment. He also rather pointedly said that he wasn't part of the recruitment team. Quite what to make of that, if anything, I don't know.

Perhaps, but that's just a case of "I haven't heard of player X therefore he can't be as good as another player I have heard of" rather than an opinion based on knowledge of the qualities of the players concerned. Plus of course it doesn't follow that having better individuals guarantees having a better team. Our problem in recent years has been signing lots of individuals rather than building a team.

I was thinking along similar lines, chances are he will regress to the mean next season. But we are unlikely to be able sign somebody better so we need to increase the number of shots we take. And we need goals from around the team. Of course it would help if we conceded far fewer goals!

Time for him to come out with the "actually promotion isn't the aim for this season" line to pretend he has a master plan that is too subtle for the plebs to understand. Expect lots more "trading" in the summer Ipswich fans. If it happens to benefit any particular agents that's just coincidence.

Nigel has said more than once that he is a good defender. I'm not sure though if there is a but ... being implied. I don't think he has made up his mind yet.

As I understand it if England and France win their groups then win their last 16 games they would meet in the quarters.

If things go to plan we would face France in the quarter finals. ?

Does anybody in the hall there know who he is? Come to think of it, do I know who he is??