Pearson’s Not Happy!

[swanker]

15 minutes ago, RedNachos said:

When is he happy?

We regularly do some work at the training centre and every time I see him he’s always smiling and make time to come out and chat with us. Top bloke in my opinion. 
 

[Edgy Red]

8 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

No offence,  but all you have done here is reassert what most of us know; that The Lansdowns investment in infrastructure at the club has been excellent.

Now try critiquing their performance on the football side... go on.... there's 21 years of evidence. Go through every managerial appointment and pick the good ones, and let me know which of them have gone onto bigger and better things. 

In anticipation, 

I'm not looking for an argument/ongoing debate. At the end of the day this is a football forum and ultimately we all want Bristol City to be successful and produce performances on the pitch that get us off our seats.

I was just trying to offer some balance to the conversation and as another poster said recently, our club has not achieved anything of note in well over 100 years, apart from a few seasons in the top flight in the late 70's and a couple of cup runs, so The Lansdown family are not alone in their failings.

 

[Monkeh]

To be fair we are underachieving,

We are inconstant and sit in 17th, we can't string performances together and really should be around 13th

 

[Mad Cyril]

8 hours ago, Dredd said:

Seems like JL seemed to think the ‘sell players for massive money’ gravy train was going to go on and on. You just can’t use that as a business model, especially when the recruitment was as poor as LJ/MA. We could all see that we were running out of talent to balance the books....

It is a model that has worked consistently for Brentford, Southampton, Peterborough....

It can work. But as you say, we are #### at it.

[Phileas Fogg]

This is a really interesting quote from JL

”Nigel's had a few of his own health issues as well through that so we're still growing that relationship”

A year in and they’re still ‘growing’ a relationship. That doesn’t bode well to me.  I appreciate JL may have been less ‘hands on’ recently partly due to covid, but that suggests (as many of us suspected) that Pearson isn’t the sort of personality the Lansdowns like really. 

As mentioned elsewhere, SO’D and Cotterill were both long in the tooth and straight talking. Both had tough remits and clearly locked horns with the Lansdowns who don’t enjoy heading home truths it seems. The club gave enormous backing to Johnson (who seemed happy to play their game) and then the inexplicable appointment of Holden. It’s obvious what sort of manager they prefer.

I don’t rate Jon or value his point of view on football. He’s terrible at giving interviews too and clearly has an ego (remember his pettiness about the three lions flag a few years ago?). Unfortunately though, if Pearson gets on the Lansdowns’ bad side there’ll only be one winner.

Once again it’s that familiar situation of proven and experienced football man having a different point of view from the owners. 

[Red Army 75]

Me personally I was always going to start to judge NP as Bristol City manager from next season. With what’s gone on staying up this season was all that matters to me. Yes it’s frustrating to lose games, last minute goals and conceding poor poor goals. I’m hoping he gets rid off some players and NP said it’s our most important transfer window coming up. Looking forward to him building his team. But my worry now is a couple of more defeats and a bit of disharmony in the camp I’m starting to think he might not be here in the summer. Which would be terrible. NP has a voice and is not afraid to use it. The lansdowns aren’t use to this kind of personality managing our football club. I really hope it’s a storm in a teacup and NP is here in the summer.

[red panda]

I like Nige, and hope he stays a long time

.... but I really can't understand all the anti-Lansdown posts on this thread.

Nige is very clearly wrong this time.  He even says himself "We haven’t won the number of games that we should have done. We haven’t got the number of points that we should have."  Football is a results game and Nige has given us a very good definition of underperformance.

[Phileas Fogg]

2 minutes ago, red panda said:

I like Nige, and hope he stays a long time

.... but I really can't understand all the anti-Lansdown posts on this thread.

Nige is very clearly wrong this time.  He even says himself "We haven’t won the number of games that we should have done. We haven’t got the number of points that we should have."  Football is a results game and Nige has given us a very good definition of underperformance.

I think the historical context is important. We've seen it several times now - the Lansdowns being uneasy with public 'criticism' or resistance from an experienced manager. The general impression is that they feel safer with a manager like a Johnson JR/Holden/McInnes who won't discuss grievances explicitly in public. 

Both SO'D and Cotterill weren't given much patience from the board once the relationship deteriorated, whereas Lee Johnson in particular was given enormous patience and backing. Probably because SL was desperate for his appointment and the 'model' to work. 

The general consensus on here seems to be that, to quote Pearson, "we are where we are". We won't go down, we will lose a few games (probably some heavily) - but our young players will continue to develop and our team will gradually improve. People appreciate Pearson's honesty about the club, he doesn't sugar coat and speaks in a way supporters appreciate (ie no cliches or being too clever clever). For some reason as a supporter base we seem to prefer that sort of 'manager' rather than a head coach and Pearson has a lot of favour with the support I feel despite results. 

I think people are willing to give Pearson a bit of a pass this season, on account of the context (covid, finances). I think though that if this time next year we are still in a similar position that supporters will question him more. Most seem to think Jon Lansdown's comments are misguided and perhaps as a result of not really working well with personalities like Pearson.

[Roe]

There's been a lot of delusion behind the scenes for a while now, probably part of the reason we've been so bad the last couple of years. 

Earlier on in the season we were told we had a "top 6" squad when clearly we were nowhere near that. 

It's gonna be a sad day when Nige leaves us. 

[exAtyeoMax]

Plus Nige ridiculed them calling it the HPC… 

[cityloyal473]

If NPs abrasiveness and telling it as it is proves his undoing, its yet more evidence that SL/JL have no forking clue.

[Northern Red]

21 minutes ago, Roe said:

There's been a lot of delusion behind the scenes for a while now, probably part of the reason we've been so bad the last couple of years. 

Earlier on in the season we were told we had a "top 6" squad when clearly we were nowhere near that. 

It's gonna be a sad day when Nige leaves us. 

Some on here were still saying it was a top 10 squad as recently as last week.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

6 hours ago, Davefevs said:

He isn’t gonna slag him off is he?  He was placed on gardening leave pretty much soon after his departure was announced and wheeled out when needed to maintain a level of “everything is rosy”.  Too big a conflict of interest.  Nothing to gain by saying anything other than “good job, good luck”, especially as it would undermine SL / JL too.

So what has now changed? However you interpret Nige's recent comments towards his employers or their accuracy- "he isnt going to slag him off is he" is precisely what he has now done albeit in not quite so vernacular terms.

[The Bard]

10 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Some on here were still saying it was a top 10 squad as recently as last week.

There's not much difference between a top 10 and a top 18 squad.   A few last minute goals.  Literally.  
Weird how these classifications are used.    the Championship consists of the top 6 and genuine play off contenders.  At the bottom those seriously endangered by relegation.  In the middle a big blob of mediocrity.  We are very much in that blob and it really doesn't mean much whether we're towards the top of the blob or the bottom.  It's still the blob.

Edited February 18, 2022 by The Bard

[Son of Fred]

5 hours ago, SydneyCity said:

I’d like to think a phone call could sort it all out.

I'd have to have a concern that such a call would indeed "sort it out"....well & truly!

[Ivorguy]

How much longer until Lansdowns lose the true fan base?

Until Nige walks or is sacked, I guess?

Really and utterly browned off by the whole ongoing mess at Ashton Gate.

One day of Old Harry in the chair would sort this shambles of a club out.

 

[Dolman_Stand]

5 hours ago, SydneyCity said:

I think this is all a storm in a teacup.

In my opinion, JL often drifts between wanting to be seen as a chairman, fan or footy lad. In this instance I think he was being interviewed as a chairman but in this particular instance, answering as a fan/footy lad - a throw away, stereotypical line about “we should be doing better” that most fans roll out regularly about their team. Very tone-deaf in this scenario - and unprofessional as a chairman - but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The press has picked this up, Nige has bitten and here we are.

I’d like to think a phone call could sort it all out.

If I’m wrong, and he is outwardly criticising the improvements we’ve made under Nige with the intention of getting rid, then I too will have lost a lot of faith in the board.

Well said

[JP Hampton]

I don’t know enough about JL to make any real comment but I do know what’s happened since Pearson came. They knew the type of manager they were employing they seemingly wanted someone with a firm character willing to knock a few heads together his reputation preceded him.  
What I believe that JL should be saying is we’re behind NP and it is a case of trusting “the process” which will take time. What they also need to do is make sure that we don’t keep allowing players to improve here only to sell them on to the detriment of the club. 
 

You could add Danny Wilson to SoD and SC another manager who left after being frustrated by the board. 
 

The trouble is we’ve heard a lot of soundbites from the Lansdowns  over the years and I think this comment from JL is simply another of those, but he wasn’t banking on NP reacting to it in this way. 
 

[Tin Soldier]

FACT The Lansdownes have not got a clue on how to run a football club. Which is why BCFC is part of this Bristol Sport. There  is no identity, no association, no direction, when Bristol City FC is part of this bloody Bristol Sport ideaoligy.

And where is the success model/plan to just keep selling your best players every year and replace with monkeys. Shambles, and has been for years. No manager can produce a successful team with that policy.
Nige P is just exposing the frailties when asked at interviews. 
The Lansdownes will hate the fact that Nige P is not a Yes man and will talk honestly to the Press. 

As for Jon Lansdown, what a joke!!

Edited February 18, 2022 by Tin Soldier

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, Son of Fred said:

I'd have to have a concern that such a call would indeed "sort it out"....well & truly!

Exactly. Would be better if they did nothing and just said "sorry for the misunderstanding" in the Summer. With ego's at play here though I could see a scenario where NP is either sacked in the misguided view they will sell more season tickets or he simply tells the Lansdowns to do one. It's on a knife edge I think. What I do know though is if the Lansdowns sack Nige after letting him start the job then they are finished with me. I was hoping that after 20 years of ineptness on the football decision making side of things they had finally decided to let two blokes with experience run the show.................

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 minute ago, JP Hampton said:

I don’t know enough about JL to make any real comment but I do know what’s happened since Pearson came. They knew the type of manager they were employing they seemingly wanted someone with a firm character willing to knock a few heads together his reputation preceded him.  
What I believe that JL should be saying is we’re behind NP and it is a case of trusting “the process” which will take time. What they also need to do is make sure that we don’t keep allowing players to improve here only to sell them on to the detriment of the club. 
 

You could add Danny Wilson to SoD and SC another manager who left after being frustrated by the board. 
 

The trouble is we’ve heard a lot of soundbites from the Lansdowns  over the years and I think this comment from JL is simply another of those, but he wasn’t banking on NP reacting to it in this way. 
 

Blimey - my memory must be going.

I was certain they all left after getting the sack

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Blimey - my memory must be going.

I was certain they all left after getting the sack

I think that's a bit picky - it is slightly clumsily written, but 'left after being frustrated by the board' doesn't necessarily mean they resigned from the job. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Phileas Fogg

[pongo88]

9 hours ago, Aaron-Bcfc said:

What were you expecting this season, out of interest? I would’ve snapped your hand off for 21st, so the fact we sit 17th and comfortably away from relegation, in my eyes we are overachieving.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I seem to recall Steve Lansdown saying in the summer that top 6 was the aim, which was as much a pipe dream then as it is now, though it wouldn’t surprise me if Jon is still thinking along the same lines.

This question wasn’t directed at me, but out of interest, I met a few fellow supporters before the season and we had a bet on where we thought City would finish this season. The predictions were:

11th (me, over optimistic as always), 18th, 6th, 20th, 15th.  So, the average position was 14th. If we ignore the 6th  prediction (he’d had a couple of pints) City is roughly where expected.  I haven’t a clue what the rest of the fan based expected, but I’m sure most thought this would be a difficult transition season. It is. 

 

[JP Hampton]

3 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Blimey - my memory must be going.

I was certain they all left after getting the sack

Indeed but you know what I meant. They may well have been sacked but it was certainly after a breakdown in relationships as well as results. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Just now, Phileas Fogg said:

I think that's a bit picky - it is slightly clumsily written, but 'left after being frustrated by the board' doesn't necessarily mean they resigned from the job. 

Maybe but they were indeed sacked.

It would be a rare event when a highly paid senior employee gets dismissed and doesn't feel some form of frustration towards their former employees.

[Phileas Fogg]

Just now, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Maybe but they were indeed sacked.

I think it's a bit unfair then to wilfully try and misrepresent the point they were making in that case. 

Just now, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

It would be a rare event when a highly paid senior employee gets dismissed and doesn't feel some form of frustration towards their former employees.

Of course, but that doesn't take into account any context. We all remember what was going on around the times of their dismissal. This feels a bit similar to the Cotterill situation in 15/16. I don't think Pearson is quite as explosive or emotional as Cotterill though so hopefully it can be dealt with properly. 

[Numero Uno]

Just now, Phileas Fogg said:

I think that's a bit picky - it is slightly clumsily written, but 'left after being frustrated by the board' doesn't necessarily mean they resigned from the job. 

Cotterill's interviews at the end of his tenure oozed frustration with those above him. He wanted to move the club forward but way too quickly for the Lansdown's liking. Instead they have subjected us to a "death by 1000 cuts" FFP shambles.............."oh but how could they predict Covid would happen?", 91 other clubs in the same boat and my guess is that Millwall, Luton, Brentford and Preston didn't lose £38m last season.

They actually have a Manager who is prepared to work within the constraints of the shambles they have created and he isn't good enough for them apparently. All I can say is ******* best of luck when Michael Appleton or equivalent rocks up next......................that said I could easily imagine Steve getting on the phone to LJ, that will shift the season tickets!!  

[GrahamC]

Just now, Phileas Fogg said:

I think that's a bit picky - it is a bit clumsily written, but 'left after being frustrated by the board' doesn't necessarily mean they resigned from the job. 

It is a very odd take on things.

Wilson was given 4 years, a very high budget for League One & at the end of that time we were no further forward at all, he was sacked because the board believed we were making progress under him at the pace of a slow tortoise.

SOD inherited a mess & was tasked with re-building the club, although he brought in some excellent players with minimal funds, we were struggling near the bottom of League One having been relegated the year before & the board again lost faith that he was turning us around.

It is certainly possible to argue in SOD’s case (as some do) that he would have turned it around, but we were uncomfortably close to becoming a League Two club, so he was dismissed.

Both of these managers probably felt “frustrated” by the board but time in Wilson’s case & results in SOD’s meant they went.

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

Cotterill's interviews at the end of his tenure oozed frustration with those above him. He wanted to move the club forward but way too quickly for the Lansdown's liking. Instead they have subjected us to a "death by 1000 cuts" FFP shambles.............."oh but how could they predict Covid would happen?", 91 other clubs in the same boat and my guess is that Millwall, Luton, Brentford and Preston didn't lose £38m last season.

Yes. I even remember this interview post-Yeovil town in a friendly where it was clear he was frustrated. 

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

They actually have a Manager who is prepared to work within the constraints of the shambles they have created and he isn't good enough for them apparently. All I can say is ******* best of luck when Michael Appleton or equivalent rocks up next......................that said I could easily imagine Steve getting on the phone to LJ, that will shift the season tickets!!  

Had Johnson stayed at Sunderland and got them promoted, I genuinely wouldn't have put it past him. 

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 minute ago, JP Hampton said:

Indeed but you know what I meant. They may well have been sacked but it was certainly after a breakdown in relationships as well as results. 

the two go hand in hand in virtually every case- if you could point to any Manager in ,say 25 years, at BCFC that has left the Club due to frustration with the board as opposed to being sacked for poor ongoing results?

[Phileas Fogg]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

It is a very odd take on things.

Wilson was given 4 years, a very high budget for League One & at the end of that time we were no further forward at all, he was sacked because the board believed we were making progress under him at the pace of a slow tortoise.

SOD inherited a mess & was tasked with re-building the club, although he brought in some excellent players with minimal funds, we were struggling near the bottom of League One having been relegated the year before & the board again lost faith that he was turning us around.

It is certainly possible to argue in SOD’s case (as some do) that he would have turned it around, but we were uncomfortably close to becoming a League Two club, so he was dismissed.

Both of these managers probably felt “frustrated” by the board but time in Wilson’s case & results in SOD’s meant they went.

I wasn't around for the Danny Wilson era so won't comment on that.

Agree on SO'D though. I think he just wasn't the personality we needed at the time. The fans could recognise the club were in a bad place, and having such a dour and defeatist manager showing absolutely no enthusiasm or positivity just wasn't what we needed. Pound for pound he did make some excellent signings though, ones which stood the test of time. 

We did need a far more galvanising character - and we got that with Cotterill. 

[samo II]

Ultimately, for me; we’re exactly in the position where the squad and state of the club in suggested we would be coming into the season - lower mid table.

I don’t agree with JL’s suggestion we are underperforming, certainly when you take injured players into account, and in the case of the number of youth/academy players we’ve played regularly this year, lower mid table seems about right.

Do we need to see further improvements? Yes. Would we be somewhat better off had we performed better at certainly key points (like in the 90th+ min in defence multiple times)? Yes.

But we are in deep trouble financially, and don’t have the flexibility with personnel to change much, and so expect much of an injection of talent - NP and CF really have been getting what they can from a limited squad, and at least that’s looking so far to be enough to fend of relegation, allowing us to go again at this level.

I’m grateful to the Lansdown family for all they have done for the club, but Pearson is right; trying to do a ‘semi-Brentford’ for years was always a high risk/high reward way of doing things, and one that ultimately they signed off on, and has resulted in us being unable to weather the covid ‘storm’ so they need to temper their expectations now to fit the ‘new normal’.

I’m firmly in the camp of seeing us as exactly where I expected us to be; kind of shocked anyone would think otherwise tbh.

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 minute ago, Phileas Fogg said:

I wasn't around for the Danny Wilson era so won't comment on that.

 

No need to show off you lucky sod

[supercidered]

1 hour ago, Red Army 75 said:

Me personally I was always going to start to judge NP as Bristol City manager from next season. With what’s gone on staying up this season was all that matters to me. Yes it’s frustrating to lose games, last minute goals and conceding poor poor goals. I’m hoping he gets rid off some players and NP said it’s our most important transfer window coming up. Looking forward to him building his team. But my worry now is a couple of more defeats and a bit of disharmony in the camp I’m starting to think he might not be here in the summer. Which would be terrible. NP has a voice and is not afraid to use it. The lansdowns aren’t use to this kind of personality managing our football club. I really hope it’s a storm in a teacup and NP is here in the summer.

In short, this is the problem. However, SL and JL need to change their mindset if they want the club to succeed. 

[chinapig]

3 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Wilson was given 4 years, a very high budget for League One & at the end of that time we were no further forward at all, he was sacked because the board believed we were making progress under him at the pace of a slow tortoise.

Yes, Wilson spent a fortune by League One standards (just think how much the £600k for Peacock would be in today's terms for instance) and failed to get promotion. He was told the budget would have to be cut and wasn't having it so off he went.

GJ subsequently won promotion on a shoestring by comparison.

[Phileas Fogg]

3 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

No need to show off you lucky sod

But @Robbored tells me it was the most enjoyable football he's ever seen at City?!!

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

1 minute ago, Phileas Fogg said:

But @Robbored tells me it was the most enjoyable football he's ever seen at City?!!

I think he was talking about the opposition who all looked like world beaters- he even wrote a song about it but it never caught on.... 

 

[samo II]

8 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Yes, Wilson spent a fortune by League One standards (just think how much the £600k for Peacock would be in today's terms for instance) and failed to get promotion. He was told the budget would have to be cut and wasn't having it so off he went.

GJ subsequently won promotion on a shoestring by comparison.

Actively shocking how good that team was when you look at the squad we had, and when you think they then almost took us to the Prem.

[Robbored]

13 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Yes, Wilson spent a fortune by League One standards (just think how much the £600k for Peacock would be in today's terms for instance) and failed to get promotion. He was told the budget would have to be cut and wasn't having it so off he 

Not true - DW said on an podcast about a year ago that he was on holiday during the summer break and received a phone call that he’d been sacked. He was as surprised as anyone considering his team had lost in the pray off final.

I still maintain that in all the years that I’ve been attending AG that the football served up by Wilson was the most entertaining that I’d seen.  That season was great to witness and desperately sad that Lee Miller missed a simple tap at the County Ground to virtually seal automatic promotion.

In came GJ and served the complete opposite to what DW had done. It was slow, pedestrian, turgid and boring……….. and raised the question of whether the fans want entertainment or promotion playing dreary football.

Edited February 18, 2022 by Robbored

[GrahamC]

10 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Yes, Wilson spent a fortune by League One standards (just think how much the £600k for Peacock would be in today's terms for instance) and failed to get promotion. He was told the budget would have to be cut and wasn't having it so off he went.

GJ subsequently won promotion on a shoestring by comparison.

Yep, he also inherited a £1m striker in Thorpe, who although not my type at all, had a prolific career at L1 level.

Despite this in 4 full years, he took us absolutely nowhere.

Ward, GJ (who was one game away from pulling off a truly remarkable double) & Cotterill all managed to achieve promotion in their first full season, not pissing around getting nowhere in 4. 

[Sleepy1968]

15 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Yes, Wilson spent a fortune by League One standards (just think how much the £600k for Peacock would be in today's terms for instance) and failed to get promotion. He was told the budget would have to be cut and wasn't having it so off he went.

He was sacked after the 1-0 play off final defeat to Brighton wasn't he? He didn't resign.

[cityfan1958]

I think Mr Gould may prove to be a key figure. It may be that he may have to be a peace maker. Longer term it may be his view on Pearson that decides how long he is here, in that, if he gets what Pearson is doing and sees him as the best man for the job, he may need to be buffer between the two. 
What I can’t understand about the owners is that they overseen these finical resets before, which usually results in a relegation, but don’t seem to grasp the fact that we need to get away from this constant boom and bust cycle to make any sort of progress. 

[chinapig]

2 minutes ago, Robbored said:

Not true - DW said on an podcast about a year ago that he was on holiday during the summer break and received a phone call that he’d been sacked. He was as surprised as anyone considering his team had lost in the pray off final.

I still maintain that in all the years that I’ve been attending AG that the football served up by Wilson was the most entertaining that I’d seen.  That season was great to witness and desperately sad that Lee Miller missed a simple tap at the County Ground to virtually seal automatic promotion.

Steve himself said budgets would need to be cut and staff let go. I wouldn't take too much notice of Wilson's self serving version. The man who said losing the play off final was not failure and who didn't even have Lita on the bench.

So Wilson spends fortune but fails to meet his target = success. LJ spends fortune but fails to meet his target = failure?

[Merrick's Marvels]

6 hours ago, SydneyCity said:

I think this is all a storm in a teacup.

In my opinion, JL often drifts between wanting to be seen as a chairman, fan or footy lad. In this instance I think he was being interviewed as a chairman but in this particular instance, answering as a fan/footy lad - a throw away, stereotypical line about “we should be doing better” that most fans roll out regularly about their team. Very tone-deaf in this scenario - and unprofessional as a chairman - but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The press has picked this up, Nige has bitten and here we are.

I’d like to think a phone call could sort it all out.

If I’m wrong, and he is outwardly criticising the improvements we’ve made under Nige with the intention of getting rid, then I too will have lost a lot of faith in the board.

My initial reaction, too. Think we might be blowing this out of proportion on here.

Certainly hope so, anyway.

Pearson's "bonkers" comment seemed light hearted and throwaway rather than a deliberate, provocative rebuke of his employer - he might be straight talking but he isn't looking to get sacked!

And I agree with you about the Chairman - I think his comments about us under-performing might have been him speaking as a fan (he is one too!) and expressing, perhaps badly, his exasperation at the leads we've squandered and the goals we've conceded late on, without which we'd be much higher in the table. An exasperation we all share - including the manager.

Fingers crossed it's that, anyway. Would be madness to lose such a highly qualified manager whose professional attributes are just what we need right now, even if his personality sometimes rubs people up the wrong way.

The BCFC family + Nigel Pearson both have so much to gain by making this journey together work. If we hit bumps in the road along the way, we need to smooth them over, not throw our toys out the pram - the prize at the end, for both, is too great for that.    

Edited February 18, 2022 by Merrick's Marvels

[Robbored]

5 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

He was sacked after the 1-0 play off final defeat to Brighton wasn't he? He didn't resign.

Correct but chinapig thinks that DW getting sacked is a false claim.

[chinapig]

4 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

He was sacked after the 1-0 play off final defeat to Brighton wasn't he? He didn't resign.

Indeed, I didn't mean to imply he resigned but that he wasn't prepared to accept cuts that were necessary as a result of his failure. There was no way he could keep his job in the circumstances.

[Robbored]

7 minutes ago, chinapig said:

Indeed, I didn't mean to imply he resigned but that he wasn't prepared to accept cuts that were necessary as a result of his failure. There was no way he could keep his job in the circumstances.

So why was DW so surprised to receive a phone call telling him that he was sacked?

I wouldn’t be surprised if SL regrets that decision even after all these years.

Edited February 18, 2022 by Robbored

[Alessandro]

10 hours ago, spudski said:

The difference being SoD and Cotterill, lost the fan base in the end...mainly because they had no idea of what was going on behind closed doors.

I feel there is an understanding now amongst the fan base that we have been run poorly for many years. 

NP has his faults, but he's in a far stronger position with the fans, than the board and owner right now.

They would do well to listen for a change. Get some humility. They are starting to look like little Hitler's. Do as I say...it's my ball, I'm captain, I'll take it home if you don't do as I say syndrome.

Think they are losing the plot a bit...started to look like a good idea, now it just looks like a rich blokes play thing who wants to leave a legacy...the underlying feeling is he's losing respect.

You've hit the nail on the head here for me.

I've always been supporters of the Lansdown's, still am, I appreciate what they've done and their continued investment in the club. For me up until now you can't really question their commitment and I thank them for that.

But you can question their actions. The list of 'mistakes' is getting longer and I feel they have, for whatever reason, become increasingly distanced from the fans, seemingly incapable of admitting fault or mistakes - and worst of all in danger of stubbornly peddling a 'narrative' that just doesn't meet with reality.

[Monkeh]

2 minutes ago, Alessandro said:

You've hit the nail on the head here for me.

I've always been supporters of the Lansdown's, still am, I appreciate what they've done and their continued investment in the club. For me up until now you can't really question their commitment and I thank them for that.

But you can question their actions. The list of 'mistakes' is getting longer and I feel they have, for whatever reason, become increasingly distanced from the fans, seemingly incapable of admitting fault or mistakes - and worst of all in danger of stubbornly peddling a 'narrative' that just doesn't meet with reality.

I feel the same and it's why I like Pearson, he tells you like it is, 

[Phileas Fogg]

4 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Reading through the full transcription, was pleased to see that mental health and burnout, sorry, Full Tilt was mentioned as it's something I've looked at suggested previously maybe an issue. 

What do you mean by that?

4 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

As for the rest of comments it seems Nige has had words with both RG and JL where they do not see eye to eye. 

The Gould stuff wasn't necessarily that they 'don't see eye to eye', it's just that they obviously disagree about certain things in a working relationship which Pearson clearly feels is healthy. I think the Lansdown stuff is different though.

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

This is a really interesting quote from JL

”Nigel's had a few of his own health issues as well through that so we're still growing that relationship”

A year in and they’re still ‘growing’ a relationship. That doesn’t bode well to me.  I appreciate JL may have been less ‘hands on’ recently partly due to covid, but that suggests (as many of us suspected) that Pearson isn’t the sort of personality the Lansdowns like really. 

As mentioned elsewhere, SO’D and Cotterill were both long in the tooth and straight talking. Both had tough remits and clearly locked horns with the Lansdowns who don’t enjoy heading home truths it seems. The club gave enormous backing to Johnson (who seemed happy to play their game) and then the inexplicable appointment of Holden. It’s obvious what sort of manager they prefer.

I don’t rate Jon or value his point of view on football. He’s terrible at giving interviews too and clearly has an ego (remember his pettiness about the three lions flag a few years ago?). Unfortunately though, if Pearson gets on the Lansdowns’ bad side there’ll only be one winner.

Once again it’s that familiar situation of proven and experienced football man having a different point of view from the owners. 

Having re-read the stuff last night, that was probably the strangest / most unnecessary comment to make imho.  Especially when Jon is known for not being around much himself.

1 hour ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

So what has now changed? However you interpret Nige's recent comments towards his employers or their accuracy- "he isnt going to slag him off is he" is precisely what he has now done albeit in not quite so vernacular terms.

The point I was making is that at the time he left it was not appropriate / professional to comment like that.  But when you cut through the detail of a £38.4m loss published, it starts to become “fair game”….especially if you’ve just heard a bit of a gloss over from the Chairman and a bit of stick re your own performance.

50 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Cotterill's interviews at the end of his tenure oozed frustration with those above him. He wanted to move the club forward but way too quickly for the Lansdown's liking. Instead they have subjected us to a "death by 1000 cuts" FFP shambles.............."oh but how could they predict Covid would happen?", 91 other clubs in the same boat and my guess is that Millwall, Luton, Brentford and Preston didn't lose £38m last season.

They actually have a Manager who is prepared to work within the constraints of the shambles they have created and he isn't good enough for them apparently. All I can say is ******* best of luck when Michael Appleton or equivalent rocks up next......................that said I could easily imagine Steve getting on the phone to LJ, that will shift the season tickets!!  

My understanding (rumours, speculation) was that Ashton wanted Appleton, as did the rest of the board….but SL overruled them all.  SL chooses the managers / head coaches, not anybody else.  That’s not to say JL / MA didn’t run the process for Holden’s appointment, but SL will have made the choice.

20 minutes ago, cityfan1958 said:

I think Mr Gould may prove to be a key figure. It may be that he may have to be a peace maker. Longer term it may be his view on Pearson that decides how long he is here, in that, if he gets what Pearson is doing and sees him as the best man for the job, he may need to be buffer between the two. 
What I can’t understand about the owners is that they overseen these finical resets before, which usually results in a relegation, but don’t seem to grasp the fact that we need to get away from this constant boom and bust cycle to make any sort of progress. 

I hope so.  I heard that Nige had wanted Adrian Bevington as CEO, but I think Gould is doing the job I’d want from a CEO.  If we do bring in a HoR, that will complete the set-up nicely.

[Fuber]

11 hours ago, Edgy Red said:

We all make mistakes in business and football is no different. Nobody can deny that they have made errors in judgement and i'm sure Steve Lansdown would be the first to admit it but sometimes i think we have to be careful what we wish for

SL doesn't make mistakes. It's his club.

[Phileas Fogg]

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Having re-read the stuff last night, that was probably the strangest / most unnecessary comment to make imho.  Especially when Jon is known for not being around much himself.

Agreed. JL is very poor at interviews so it's probably best he's as cautious as possible when speaking to the press. 

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I hope so.  I heard that Nige had wanted Adrian Bevington as CEO, but I think Gould is doing the job I’d want from a CEO.  If we do bring in a HoR, that will complete the set-up nicely.

That's interesting. I am undecided about Gould. I thought he was pretty terrible on SotC a couple of months ago and I'm concerned he's very much a Lansdown man. Early days though so giving him the benefit of the doubt. 

[Merrick's Marvels]

7 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

That's interesting. I am undecided about Gould. I thought he was pretty terrible on SotC a couple of months ago and I'm concerned he's very much a Lansdown man. Early days though so giving him the benefit of the doubt. 

I don't think there's any doubt about the highlighted bit above, at all.

He's the owner's mouth piece, just a more acceptable one to our ears than his predecessor. 

[054123]

Good piece by James Piercy on BristolLive

@VT05763 read this and thought of you

“But in the context of that red meat in the water, Pearson may soon need a bigger boat because 12 wins from 48 games isn’t the mightiest of vessels, irrespective of all the context and nuance he so understandably raises in assessing his time at the club.”

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-pearson-jon-lansdown-bristol-6678947

Edited February 18, 2022 by 054123

[exAtyeoMax]

11 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

My understanding (rumours, speculation) was that Ashton wanted Appleton, as did the rest of the board….but SL overruled them all.  SL chooses the managers / head coaches, not anybody else.  That’s not to say JL / MA didn’t run the process for Holden’s appointment, but SL will have made the choice.

39 minutes ago, cityfan1958 said:

I seem to remember MA claimed he suggested LJ to SL as head coach, but I think that was when LJ was still golden boy 

[PHILINFRANCE]

10 hours ago, exAtyeoMax said:

Wasn’t Nige eating a bacon sandwich or something and his wife said Steve Lansdown’s on the phone? 

I thought that was Ed Miliband.

[chinapig]

38 minutes ago, Robbored said:

So why was DW so surprised to receive a phone call telling him that he was sacked?

I wouldn’t be surprised if SL regrets that decision even after all these years.

You seem to have missed my phrase self serving. He's hardly going to say he failed (having already said he hadn't) and deserved to be sacked.

I doubt Steve regrets it given GJ subsequently won promotion. And let's not forget one of the first things Steve told GJ to do was sort out the culture Wilson had enabled.

Still, you have your view of Wilson as a success so by all means stick to it regardless.

[Davefevs]

12 minutes ago, 054123 said:

Good piece by James Piercy on BristolLive

@VT05763 read this and thought of you

“But in the context of that red meat in the water, Pearson may soon need a bigger boat because 12 wins from 48 games isn’t the mightiest of vessels, irrespective of all the context and nuance he so understandably raises in assessing his time at the club.”

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-pearson-jon-lansdown-bristol-6678947

Tis a brilliant article and I urge everyone to read it, regardless of their thoughts on Bristol Post.  For those on iPad / iPhone just switch to “reader view” for a cleaner / ad-free read.

12 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I seem to remember MA claimed he suggested LJ to SL as head coach, but I think that was when LJ was still golden boy 

I recall that and although I can’t remember word for word, it was almost like “SL brought up LJ and I got right behind him and he then became our first choice”.  I interpreted this to be “SL wanted him, I wanted Appleton, but I then had to kiss ass and make it feel like he was also my choice too”!

[Bris Red]

7 hours ago, Spike said:

All of the comments aside I think if Pearson does leave /get sacked the next manager appointment could actually be the biggest factor in many fans future of attending/ supporting the club. 

I can't remember the last time we were not getting results but I wanted the manager to stay. For me Pearson is one of the first managers we've had in my lifetime willing to fix issues within the club rather than skirting around them in order not to rock the boat. The only other manager I can think of that I liked and did rock the boat was Cotterill and he did the double and upon the first opportunity to sack him he was gone. 

If Pearson goes I can no longer accept that the owner and Co want the best for this club. For me that would be a clear sign that what they want is to be able to say they know best, when it's clear to say when it comes to football that they do not. 

My thoughts exactly on the matter.

Jon Lansdown is as tone deaf as they come though, you only have to listen to his interviews to work that out. As much as he thinks he is a ‘fan’ in my humble opinion he couldn’t be more out of touch with the South Bristol public.

Just like his father he has the same trait of not knowing what to say at the correct time and majorly putting his foot in matters. I cringe every single time Steve Lansdown does an interview these days - you literally don’t know what’s going to come out of his mouth and Jon is turning out to be exactly like his father.

As i said on another thread he shouldn’t be anywhere near the job of chairman, yes maybe stick have him on the board if needs be just so he feels a part of it but chairman? No chance.

[Robbored]

4 minutes ago, chinapig said:

You seem to have missed my phrase self serving. He's hardly going to say he failed (having already said he hadn't) and deserved to be sacked.

I doubt Steve regrets it given GJ subsequently won promotion. And let's not forget one of the first things Steve told GJ to do was sort out the culture Wilson had enabled.

Still, you have your view of Wilson as a success so by all means stick to it regardless.

I never said that DW was a success - how could I claim that?       

What I did say was that imo DW served up the most entertaining and enjoyable football for decades and I’ve not seen anything since to change my opinion.

[Merrick's Marvels]

2 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I seem to remember MA claimed he suggested LJ to SL as head coach, but I think that was when LJ was still golden boy 

My question would be - why would anyone trust what MA says? I strongly suspect this is how it went down:

1. SL tells MA to add LJ's name to the shortlist of candidates for new manager

2. Reading the room correctly, MA understands LJ is SL's preferred choice

3. So MA interviews LJ 

4. Amazingly, MA pronounces LJ the standout candidate and MA has no hesitation in recommending him to SL as the new manager (knowing full well SL wanted LJ all along and would have over-ruled him anyway even if MA had been daft enough to propose an alternative candidate (Appleton) - but MA isn't that daft, he knows what's good for his own position)

5. SL appoints LJ    

[Davefevs]

6 minutes ago, Robbored said:

I never said that DW was a success - how could I claim that?       

What I did say was that imo DW served up the most entertaining and enjoyable football for decades and I’ve not seen anything since to change my opinion.

 

[Red Army 75]

32 minutes ago, 054123 said:

Good piece by James Piercy on BristolLive

@VT05763 read this and thought of you

“But in the context of that red meat in the water, Pearson may soon need a bigger boat because 12 wins from 48 games isn’t the mightiest of vessels, irrespective of all the context and nuance he so understandably raises in assessing his time at the club.”

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-pearson-jon-lansdown-bristol-6678947

Very good read. Impressed with James Piercy. 

[Robbored]

4 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

My question would be - why would anyone trust what MA says? I strongly suspect this is how it went down:

1. SL tells MA to add LJ's name to the shortlist of candidates for new manager

2. Reading the room correctly, MA understands LJ is SL's preferred choice

3. So MA interviews LJ 

4. Amazingly, MA pronounces LJ the standout candidate and MA has no hesitation in recommending him to SL as the new manager (knowing full well SL wanted LJ all along and would have over-ruled him anyway even if MA had been daft enough to propose an alternative candidate (Appleton) - but MA isn't that daft, he knows what's good for his own position)

5. SL appoints LJ    

That’s one possibility but I suspect that SL told Smarmy Ashton to recruit LJ rather than the other way around.

[Waconda]

41 minutes ago, 054123 said:

Good piece by James Piercy on BristolLive

@VT05763 read this and thought of you

“But in the context of that red meat in the water, Pearson may soon need a bigger boat because 12 wins from 48 games isn’t the mightiest of vessels, irrespective of all the context and nuance he so understandably raises in assessing his time at the club.”

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/nigel-pearson-jon-lansdown-bristol-6678947

Why thank you.

[Waconda]

8 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

Very good read. Impressed with James Piercy. 

Certainly not a sycophant.

Decent balanced reporting. 

[Waconda]

2 hours ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Blimey - my memory must be going.

I was certain they all left after getting the sack

Yep definitely sacked.

[Davefevs]

16 minutes ago, Robbored said:

That’s one possibility but I suspect that SL told Smarmy Ashton to recruit LJ rather than the other way around.

Absolutely!

[Will Rollason]

The pre match video , the version I saw on you tube, has been edited to remove 14 minutes of content...