Passive

[Gazred]

"Its a strange club in that regard".

NP post match on Radio Bristol.

That's an interesting one!

[M.D]

Just now, Gazred said:

"Its a strange club in that regard".

NP post match on Radio Bristol.

That's an interesting one!

"We need to change the players, or me, if you change me you will still have the same problem"

[Gazred]

4 minutes ago, M.D said:

"We need to change the players, or me, if you change me you will still have the same problem"

It's starting to feel like NP is part manager, part auditor.

[Gazred]

2 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Is there a link to the interview as in isolation that sounds batshit . 

I've gone on about Brisolian attitudes before, however most of our players and  coaches arent so it's bewildering 

That might not be 100% verbatim but he basically said, get rid of me, you'll still have the same problem.

[Calculus]

1 minute ago, Gazred said:

That might not be 100% verbatim but he basically said, get rid of me, you'll still have the same problem.

Yup, and he ain't wrong. Can't believe the Owner and Hereditary Chairman are going to take too kindly to it though. We might be in the end game for Nigel Pearson now. Rinse and repeat.

[Merrick's Marvels]

17 minutes ago, Gazred said:

"Its a strange club in that regard".

NP post match on Radio Bristol.

That's an interesting one!

In what regard?

(Sorry don't listen to RB)

[SecretSam]

5 minutes ago, Gazred said:

That might not be 100% verbatim but he basically said, get rid of me, you'll still have the same problem.

He could be right. I still think there's huge work to do behind the scenes

[chinapig]

28 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Is there a link to the interview as in isolation that sounds batshit . 

I've gone on about Brisolian attitudes before, however most of our players and  coaches arent so it's bewildering 

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

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by chinapig

[eardun]

20 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

In what regard?

(Sorry don't listen to RB)

Passive

[Pezo]

It sounded like an upwards swipe to me like the passiveness came from the top. It was "the club" not the team or the squad.

33 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Is there a link to the interview as in isolation that sounds batshit . 

I've gone on about Brisolian attitudes before, however most of our players and  coaches arent so it's bewildering 

It was pretty much that, made my jaw drop.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Pezo

[Merrick's Marvels]

5 minutes ago, Pezo said:

It sounded like an upwards swipe to me like the passiveness came from the top. 

If that's the case, he needs to be careful what he wishes for! 

[KegCity]

46 minutes ago, M.D said:

"We need to change the players, or me, if you change me you will still have the same problem"

 

48 minutes ago, Gazred said:

"Its a strange club in that regard".

NP post match on Radio Bristol.

That's an interesting one!

He’s bang on. Standards are painfully low from top to bottom. It’s absolutely criminal that the 17/18 failed to get promoted and was then allowed to be dismantled, and it was accepted because “every club sells players”.

If we were Brentford we’d have sold Toney after his first season because it’s impossible to reject a bid. 

[Pezo]

Just now, Merrick's Marvels said:

If that's the case, he needs to be careful what he wishes for! 

Well if he isn't getting the support he needs and is being fobbed off in favour of maintaining the current status quo by the upper management then we have bigger problems because no one is going to be able to fix us.

[One Team]

7 minutes ago, Pezo said:

It sounded like an upwards swipe to me like the passiveness came from the top. It was "the club" not the team or the squad.

It was pretty much that, made my jaw drop.

@Pezo is spot on here, that’s exactly what I heard. The passive comment was about the club as a whole, not just the players but everyone and I took it to particularly mean SL and JL. 

I thought he was spot on TBH and it’s about time we had someone calling it out. 

The question is what can he do about it? To paraphrase NP we can get rid of him but it won’t change it. 

This is why for me he’s always been the right person to sort all this mess out. 

[KegCity]

9 minutes ago, One Team said:

@Pezo is spot on here, that’s exactly what I heard. The passive comment was about the club as a whole, not just the players but everyone and I took it to particularly mean SL and JL. 

I thought he was spot on TBH and it’s about time we had someone calling it out. 

The question is what can he do about it? To paraphrase NP we can get rid of him but it won’t change it. 

This is why for me he’s always been the right person to sort all this mess out. 

That's what it all boils down to. As a club we are a complete mess, we need the stability of Pearson even if it's just for the short term.

[Merrick's Marvels]

15 minutes ago, Pezo said:

Well if he isn't getting the support he needs and is being fobbed off in favour of maintaining the current status quo by the upper management then we have bigger problems because no one is going to be able to fix us.

I jest. But if our FFP position was healthier I'm sure NP wouldn't mind being backed the way other Lansdown managers have and, basically, being left to get on with it.

It's the inability to wheel and deal in the way other managers have that's hamstring Pearson. 

Maybe he's alluding to the owner being unwilling to fund what NP considers the correct support structure eg. a DoF or a Chief Scout?

Who knows. His cryptic comments will certainly add grist to the mill of social media, conspiracy theorists and this here forum, for sure. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Merrick's Marvels

[Banjo Red]

He ain't happy is he, don't blame him and his comment about the next guy would have the same problem is bang on.

[Pezo]

4 minutes ago, KegCity said:

That's what it all boils down to. As a club we are a complete mess, we need the stability of Pearson even if it's just for the short term.

But if it's the Lansdowns passiveness or lack dynamism that's our problem then what's the point. Nothing is ever going to change ever.

[And Its Smith]

Couldn’t motivate a drowning man with a life raft 

[One Team]

6 minutes ago, KegCity said:

That's what it all boils down to. As a club we are a complete mess, we need the stability of Pearson even if it's just for the short term.

Well said mate and agreed. 

[KegCity]

Just now, Pezo said:

But if it's the Lansdowns passiveness or lack dynamism that's our problem then what's the point. Nothing is ever going to change ever.

I agree. Think Lansdown is happy for us to tread water in the championship while he finds a buyer. Problem is if he's too passive we'll drop down and it then gets a lot harder to sell us, and it'll be for a lot less.

[Andy082005]

8 minutes ago, KegCity said:

That's what it all boils down to. As a club we are a complete mess, we need the stability of Pearson even if it's just for the short term.

We really don’t need what he is doing (or not doing) 

Pearson has proved he is past it. There we’re question marks after his last couple of roles, and we can all see now why he hasn’t been given a better role 

Allardyce, Hughes, Hodgson, Pearson etc….they are all yesterday’s managers 

 

[Pezo]

11 minutes ago, Merrick's Marvels said:

I jest. But if our FFP position was healthier I'm sure NP wouldn't mind being backed the way other Lansdown managers have and, basically, being left to get on with it.

It's the inability to wheel and deal in the way other managers have that's hamstring Pearson. 

Maybe he's alluding to the owner being unwilling to fund what NP considers the correct support structure eg. a DoF or a Chief Scout?

Who knows. His cryptic comments will certainly add grist to the mill of social media, conspiracy theorists and this here forum, for sure. 

NP strikes me as a realist and solution oriented. If you tell him there's no money and can show him he will get that but also ask question about getting rid of costs - especially ones he's not in control of. I'm imagining it's more likely something like the upper management not dealing with cutting costs quickly enough and not doing the dirty work of firing people hoping that they either leave or contracts run down that he's having a pop at which then limits him elsewhere.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Pezo

[Tin Soldier]

26 minutes ago, KegCity said:

 

He’s bang on. Standards are painfully low from top to bottom. It’s absolutely criminal that the 17/18 failed to get promoted and was then allowed to be dismantled, and it was accepted because “every club sells players”.

If we were Brentford we’d have sold Toney after his first season because it’s impossible to reject a bid. 

FACT If you sell your family silver, you are left with monkeys = Bristol City FC

[James54De]

11 minutes ago, Tin Soldier said:

FACT If you sell your family silver, you are left with monkeys = Bristol City FC

That’s not the right saying, at all. 

[RedRock]

‘Passive’, ‘soft’, ‘losers’ all words that are regularly used by the ITK posters on here to describe our players, squad, Club.

Glad Pearson has somewhat belatedly identified a core issue. I’d prefer Bradley Dack’s (rejected), the Luke Ayling’s (moved on) of this world who consistently deliver, to the ‘good humans’  who consistently fail to deliver.

 

[Simon bristol]

3 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

He’s done exactly the opposite proving he is the man for today . He is clearing up a monumental mess and making some sense of where and how we can be a better club .  The truth seems to cause a few some issues , we have been a weak poorly run club for far too long . At last we have someone raising the standards and showing where we need to improve . 

I quite appreciate these comments from nige, though im not particularly convinced hes the one who is raising standards or showing where we need to improve, or at least able to do anything about it

[marmite]

I don't think SL wants or can afford Premiership football at A G. Nige has spotted that and is now in a no win situation. 

[glynriley]

1 hour ago, chinapig said:

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".

 

This is bang on. I made the point in the pub earlier that Hakeeb Adelakun posted on social media during his time here, that he’d bought a £100k Range Rover. 
 

FFS, 

the likes of Riley, Neville and Walsh, men who sweat blood for our club, wouldn’t have paid that for a house. 

[Gazred]

1 hour ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Cheers I'll try and hunt it down. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bwm21c

45 mins onwards for the juicy bits!

[Waconda]

39 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Couldn’t motivate a drowning man with a life raft 

Nope, totally demotivating and dreary.

 

[Bristol Oil Services]

38 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Couldn’t motivate a drowning man with a life raft 

Wouldn't need to. Drowning man has intrinsic motivation. And life raft. 

[Waconda]

9 minutes ago, marmite said:

I don't think SL wants or can afford Premiership football at A G. Nige has spotted that and is now in a no win situation. 

Heard it all now,

The ultimate excuse, someone beat that. 

[And Its Smith]

3 minutes ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

Wouldn't need to. Drowning man has intrinsic motivation. And life raft. 

Two minutes listening to Pearson and he’d just give up 

[Waconda]

23 minutes ago, RedRock said:

‘Passive’, ‘soft’, ‘losers’ all words that are regularly used by the ITK posters on here to describe our players, squad, Club.

Glad Pearson has somewhat belatedly identified a core issue. I’d prefer Bradley Dack’s (rejected), the Luke Ayling’s (moved on) of this world who consistently deliver, to the ‘good humans’  who consistently fail to deliver.

 

James was the poster boy for those comments today.

[exAtyeoMax]

18 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

He’s done exactly the opposite proving he is the man for today . He is clearing up a monumental mess and making some sense of where and how we can be a better club .  The truth seems to cause a few some issues , we have been a weak poorly run club for far too long . At last we have someone raising the standards and showing where we need to improve . 

Does he have the remit to do so? Or is he being given the remit to do so? Does he have the backing to the board to do so? Is he able to make changes (not just signing players)?

[And Its Smith]

12 minutes ago, marmite said:

I don't think SL wants or can afford Premiership football at A G. Nige has spotted that and is now in a no win situation. 

SL can’t afford receiving £140m.  He’d prefer the club to lose £15-25m per year. 

[Ivorguy]

My second team, Worthing FC got promoted today to National League South.  All done by a very committed local young man as owner and by the grandson of a great BCFC winger, Wally Hinshelwood.

So much more fun to watch than City in recent seasons - as has been said all my life Bristol should be able to have a top flight club fighting for place in European tournaments.

I have said until you are all bored with me saying it we need a full audit of the club to discover why we are so, good word, passive

I am so depressed by the management of SL and son.

[One Team]

29 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

He’s done exactly the opposite proving he is the man for today . He is clearing up a monumental mess and making some sense of where and how we can be a better club .  The truth seems to cause a few some issues , we have been a weak poorly run club for far too long . At last we have someone raising the standards and showing where we need to improve . 

Absolutely bang on. I know plenty will think Pearson is the problem but for me he’s one of the very few things at our football club that isn’t.
 

We’ve actually got someone who doesn’t care about calling out what many have suspected for years. 

[Gazred]

2 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Okay, honestly, that's batshit 

Wtaf.. 

Tell it as it is.

Cheers

Nige

[Barrs Court Red]

I may well have missed subsequent broadcasts from our dear and benevolent owner; but has he said much since he got on camera following a couple of Holden wins to say how great things were going and how the megamind duo of Ashton and JL were absolute right to pick Holden. 
 

It was quiet the exercise in self congratulation and to me sums up why the club could be construed as passive - The owner is happy as long as he’s shown to be right.  And it’s sad that it’s got to that, as there are some elements to be really proud of over the years. 

 

 

[Waconda]

1 minute ago, Gazred said:

Tell it as it is.

Cheers

Nige

Yep, talking about his signing Matt James obviously.

[Bristol Oil Services]

Just as dogs, and their owners, come to resemble each other, so, perhaps, do football clubs and their owners. 

Care to comment, @Merrick's Marvels?

[AshtonGreat]

His comments don't really make sense. He's essentially putting the blame on the players. But it's a manager's job to sort the players out. 

[Gazred]

8 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

His comments don't really make sense. He's essentially putting the blame on the players. But it's a manager's job to sort the players out. 

I personally took it as the ownerships tolerance for mediocrity, be it self inflicted, in part or completely.

[AshtonGreat]

11 minutes ago, Gazred said:

I personally took it as the ownerships tolerance for mediocrity, be it self inflicted, in part or completely.

You could be right. It's hard to tell isn't it

[Kibs]

Sounds like he’s had enough to me - of the players and the owner.

You have to wonder who he’s blaming in terms of personalities/character (today’s performance) because of the 10 outfield players:  

He signed Klose, Atkinson, James. He often praises Williams, Martin and Weimann. Scott is a youngster who he rates highly, Cundy is new to this level and Dasilva had a reasonable game. That only leaves Wells and the subs who came on. Who is he blaming? 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Kibs

[Waconda]

25 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

His comments don't really make sense. He's essentially putting the blame on the players. But it's a manager's job to sort the players out. 

Crazy talk.

Didn't you get the memo ?

1 minute ago, Kibs said:

Sounds like he’s had enough to me - of the players and the owner.

You have to wonder who he’s blaming in terms of personalities/character (today’s performance) because of the 10 outfield players:  

He signed Klose, Atkinson, James. He often praises Williams, Martin and Weimann. Scott is a youngster who he rates highly, Cundy is new to this level and Dasilva had a reasonable game. That only leaves Wells and the subs who came on. Who is he criticising? 

Not himself is the key here.

[Andy082005]

1 hour ago, billywedlock said:

He’s done exactly the opposite proving he is the man for today . He is clearing up a monumental mess and making some sense of where and how we can be a better club .  The truth seems to cause a few some issues , we have been a weak poorly run club for far too long . At last we have someone raising the standards and showing where we need to improve . 

How exactly has he raised the standards? 
 

Talks a great game mind 

Edited April 9, 2022 by Andy082005

[Edgy Red]

12 minutes ago, Kibs said:

Sounds like he’s had enough to me - of the players and the owner.

You have to wonder who he’s blaming in terms of personalities/character (today’s performance) because of the 10 outfield players:  

He signed Klose, Atkinson, James. He often praises Williams, Martin and Weimann. Scott is a youngster who he rates highly, Cundy is new to this level and Dasilva had a reasonable game. That only leaves Wells and the subs who came on. Who is he blaming? 

Spot on... he's purely deflecting the blame from his own poor record. He can keep blaming everyone else and saying negative things about all and sundry, but ultimately he's the manager of our football club and it's his job to coach the players to produce performances and ultimately results. This group of players (individually) is not as bad as he would like us to believe. Its his job to coach them in to a cohesive, organised unit.

I am surprised by the continued support of him by so many on here. His record is truly awful but i think he has hoodwinked many fans with his regular niggly comments about players attitudes, poor club culture etc. Lets forget about mistakes made by Steve Lansdown for a moment and purely focus on what his job is.

The blame game can only go on for so long. I have very much been on the fence about Nige but i'm getting more disheartened by the week!

I'll await the usual replies...

 

[Waconda]

2 minutes ago, Edgy Red said:

Spot on... he's purely deflecting the blame from his own poor record. He can keep blaming everyone else and saying negative things about all and sundry, but ultimately he's the manager of our football club and it's his job to coach the players to produce performances and ultimately results. This group of players (individually) is not as bad as he would like us to believe. Its his job to coach them in to a cohesive, organised unit.

I am surprised by the continued support of him by so many on here. His record is truly awful but i think he has hoodwinked many fans with his regular niggly comments about players attitudes, poor club culture etc. Lets forget about mistakes made by Steve Lansdown for a moment and purely focus on what his job is.

The blame game can only go on for so long. I have very much been on the fence about Nige but i'm getting more disheartened by the week!

I'll await the usual replies...

 

Brilliant post.

And yes you will get shredded by the usual suspects.

[Major Isewater]

1 hour ago, Waconda said:

Nope, totally demotivating and dreary.

 

But enough about you …

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

Just as dogs, and their owners, come to resemble each other, so, perhaps, do football clubs and their owners. 

Care to comment, @Merrick's Marvels?

Yes, Dylan's a handsome pup, isn't he!

I think you might be onto something actually - we've been an absolute state for most of the last 40 odd years which correlates nicely with some of our owners during that time! Even the bloke who was in that boy band was no looker (with all due respect to that fine gentleman)!!

Edited April 9, 2022 by Merrick's Marvels

[brad blit]

Looking at the lineup today (and including subs) I would be happy with following happening to the players 

Bentley - stay or sold (1 year left, high wages)
JD - sold (high wages, Pring replacement)
Atkinson - stay, will improve 
Klose - release
Cundy - release 
Scott - sell (highest market value)
Williams - stay, it fit best midfielder 
HNM - sell (1 year left)
Semenyo - sell (highest market value)
Martin - stay (consistent, low value)
Weimann - stay (same as Martin)
Wells - sell (high wages and fee) 

[TomThumb84]

I dont think Nige actually likes our club very much and looks at us like he is not part of it and is almost like a contractor or consultant trying to figure us out.

I reckon in years to come and however it ends with him, his views on us as an operation will be fascinating.

Culture comes from the top and takes an age to embed but even longer to change.

Same old problems with soft touch City and does not matter who the manager is.

Edited April 9, 2022 by TomThumb84

[REDOXO]

3 hours ago, Gazred said:

"Its a strange club in that regard".

NP post match on Radio Bristol.

That's an interesting one!

It’s true! It’s as if as a club we don’t think we are good enough. Plus we have had so many players that have taken the piss we are used to being third rate as supporters. 
 

Pearson said himself he loved playing at our place because we/our players were so docile.

The last time I remember us not being docile on the field or in the stands was the early 70s 

[fgrsimon]

2 hours ago, marmite said:

I don't think SL wants or can afford Premiership football at A G. Nige has spotted that and is now in a no win situation. 

Getting to the Premier League is the only way SL is going to make any money from Bristol City FC. 

[REDOXO]

1 minute ago, fgrsimon said:

Getting to the Premier League is the only way SL is going to make any money from Bristol City FC. 

I don’t believe for a minute that he cares about money. He has shit tonnes and gets richer by the minute. However I do believe he’s had enough!

[Tin Soldier]

Just now, REDOXO said:

It’s true! It’s as if as a club we don’t think we are good enough. Plus we have had so many players that have taken the piss we are used to being third rate as supporters. 
 

Pearson said himself he loved playing at our place because we/our players were so docile.

The last time I remember us not being docile on the field or in the stands was the early 70s 

I get lambasted for repeating it but the Bristol Sport ideaology prevents a clear focus and direction of the football club. The whole club has a weak underbelly, too many easy rides for some players. NP has alluded to it on several occasions. Culture needs to change at the top down.

[REDOXO]

4 minutes ago, Tin Soldier said:

I get lambasted for repeating it but the Bristol Sport ideaology prevents a clear focus and direction of the football club. The whole club has a weak underbelly, too many easy rides for some players. NP has alluded to it on several occasions. Culture needs to change at the top down.

That was the case well before Bristol Sport. 
 

City were a rest home for semi retired football alcoholics from the mid 80s. 

[Barrs Court Red]

2 minutes ago, Tin Soldier said:

I get lambasted for repeating it but the Bristol Sport ideaology prevents a clear focus and direction of the football club. The whole club has a weak underbelly, too many easy rides for some players. NP has alluded to it on several occasions. Culture needs to change at the top down.

I don’t think that is necessarily true - because it hasn’t hampered Bears.  
 

When Bristol Rugby rebranded, Bears identified a clear aim, and a strategy to get there. An ethos set from the top, clear standards for the players and even a social media persona. 
 

With City everything feels like lip service. We heard plenty about “identity” and DNA over recent years but it’s not really been anything other than a sound bite, mainly because the top structure is so different - you won’t see the Bears chairman trolling fans on Twitter for instance. I guess the difference is how fans are valued and respected - Bristol Sport isn’t in that game, and wouldn’t set that standard. 

[Rob k]

5 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

I don’t think that is necessarily true - because it hasn’t hampered Bears.  
 

When Bristol Rugby rebranded, Bears identified a clear aim, and a strategy to get there. An ethos set from the top, clear standards for the players and even a social media persona. 
 

With City everything feels like lip service. We heard plenty about “identity” and DNA over recent years but it’s not really been anything other than a sound bite, mainly because the top structure is so different - you won’t see the Bears chairman trolling fans on Twitter for instance. I guess the difference is how fans are valued and respected - Bristol Sport isn’t in that game, and wouldn’t set that standard. 

Bears have got the right people in the right places

[marmite]

2 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

SL can’t afford receiving £140m.  He’d prefer the club to lose £15-25m per year. 

You think he will make money in the Prem?  4 or 5 decent players plus scary wages and agents fees will make a big dent in 140 mil. Do you think many Prem clubs make a profit?

SL said when we got to the Championship that he was surprised at players fees and wage demands. If he thought that was scary,   well, watch out!!

[firstdivision]

3 hours ago, Gazred said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bwm21c

45 mins onwards for the juicy bits!

The interviewer completely misses the chance to ask the obvious follow-up question about the club being passive: ‘that’s quite a statement. Can you explain more?’

Makes the mistake of not listening to NP’s answer.

[Pezo]

5 minutes ago, firstdivision said:

The interviewer completely misses the chance to ask the obvious follow-up question about the club being passive: ‘that’s quite a statement. Can you explain more?’

Makes the mistake of not listening to NP’s answer.

While I agree it's not investigative journalism it's a mouth piece.

[firstdivision]

Just now, Pezo said:

While I agree it's not investigative journalism it's a mouth piece.

Sorry,  I don’t understand that reply. 
The interview was on Radio Bristol. Not the club’s Twitter feed. 

[And Its Smith]

40 minutes ago, marmite said:

You think he will make money in the Prem?  4 or 5 decent players plus scary wages and agents fees will make a big dent in 140 mil. Do you think many Prem clubs make a profit?

SL said when we got to the Championship that he was surprised at players fees and wage demands. If he thought that was scary,   well, watch out!!

More chance of making profit with being a premier league club. Pretty bloody obvious really.  Look at Norwich, Burnley, Huddersfield. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by And Its Smith

[Pezo]

14 minutes ago, firstdivision said:

Sorry,  I don’t understand that reply. 
The interview was on Radio Bristol. Not the club’s Twitter feed. 

But it's always very gentle, it's not like he's on sounds of the city and they have an hour to unpack everything he says.

[JoeAman08]

1 hour ago, marmite said:

You think he will make money in the Prem?  4 or 5 decent players plus scary wages and agents fees will make a big dent in 140 mil. Do you think many Prem clubs make a profit?

SL said when we got to the Championship that he was surprised at players fees and wage demands. If he thought that was scary,   well, watch out!!

Pretty weird take. We lost 40m in one season with no tv money. We could treble that in the prem and be up 20-30m. In a crude way means treble all wages and we’d still turn a profit. So the likes of Palmer, Kalas, Bentley and Dasilva would be in the 50-75k range per week. We wouldn’t be paying anything close to that imo. We’d be in the 30-40k range if we went up for a handful of players plus increases for some here. SL would make plenty for the first time 

[RedRock]

Yes, we’ve reached a cross-roads.

For those referring to The Bears and The Flyers, both those teams are failing this season, both prone to the ‘snatching defeat from the jaws of victory’ syndrome.

Do I blame the owners for the lack of ‘killing instinct’, the absence of a ruthless streak that seemingly pervades the ethos of not just Bristol City, but the entire Bristol Sport empire. Um, without doubt an organisation takes on the characteristics of the leader. Our leader(s) are mostly absent and are ‘good people’. So there could be some merit in that argument.

However, there are plenty of absent and some ‘good people’ owners in the Premiership and Championship. So I wouldn’t use that as a strong argument to base our the Club’s failings on. Possibly a ‘bit unhelpful’ would be the strongest weight I’d place on that argument. 

Without doubt the Lansdown’s have made big mistakes in appointments and became meddlers in the running of the football side of the Club. I think they’ve recognised those past mistakes and have backed off ‘day to day’ dealings and meddling with the football-side of the Club. So while in the past blame could be laid at their door, much less so now. 

Seems to me the Lansdown’s have told the CEO and Manager ‘right, you have some of the best infrastructure -the HPC, the Academy, the Stadium - in the Championship, you’ve a free reign on appointing your own coaches, fitness, medic staff and players (can you believe the Lansdown’s thought Simpson was a good idea!) you now set the culture, the standards and go and deliver’.

OK we’re broke - like many other Clubs - and had a squad not ‘fit for purpose’. Granted then there were/are constraints, but many of our competitors are operating in a similar or worse environment.

Pearson has had, what 12+ months to progress ‘his’ project. I was, and remain a supporter, however I am beginning to waver. Ok, we don’t hear what’s going on between the owners and manager and their could have been a series of legitimate ‘triggers’ to yesterday’s comments. It did, seem, however to be a case of deflecting the blame. Not a good look in the circumstances for me.

After 12 months, I would - as a minimum - be expecting a manager to have evolved a team to have a ‘winning mentality’ culture, to have some leaders, to be fit, powerful, athletic. To have a plan, shape, identity.

We’re a shambles. It is a managers responsibility to set the culture, standards, install belief, develop a plan and strategy. These are basics and we, seemingly, are miles off. Indeed, little further forward than when Pearson took over, despite his signings both on and off the pitch - none of whom of which have seemed to have ‘added value’ which, for me, is probably the greatest disappointment of his reign to date.

Worrying times indeed. A time to be for the Club to be united, not fractured.