How well should we be doing with a National League squad?

[Long slender neck]

The decision to give McAnuff another 12 months has also planned out well hasn’t it? And by the way according to both Ross and ML “the current squad is much better than our league position suggests”!

Only watched ling's interview. He didn't say that. Fake news!

Ling “ we feel we’ve got a much better squad than where we are” 7:08 - maybe you would care to look again?

Checked. He says 'better squad' not 'much better squad'.

[redintheface]

Only watched ling's interview. He didn't say that. Fake news!

Ling “ we feel we’ve got a much better squad than where we are” 7:08 - maybe you would care to look again?

Checked. He says 'better squad' not 'much better squad'.

I think the meaning is effectively the same!

[Long slender neck]

So you are agreeing with me.

Glad we have established that.

Yes but it's irrelevant. Now answer the question in the topic title.

It isn’t. The DOF is tasked with improving the squad. He sold Koroma and Bonne and didn’t adequately replace them.

THAT is relevant.

So he should have signed a championship quality strikers?

Again you have failed to answer the question in the OP.

[Long slender neck]

Ling “ we feel we’ve got a much better squad than where we are” 7:08 - maybe you would care to look again?

Checked. He says 'better squad' not 'much better squad'.

I think the meaning is effectively the same!

So you don't understand what 'much' means?

[tuffers#1]

Ling “ we feel we’ve got a much better squad than where we are” 7:08 - maybe you would care to look again?

Checked. He says 'better squad' not 'much better squad'.

I think the meaning is effectively the same!

I think you will find that the English language has develooed words to quantify a point far more succinctly.

Its tall
Its very tall
Its Incredibly tall


See if you look at it from the perspective of 3 buildings over 25 floors youll understand .
The Nat west Tower
The Empire State building
The Burj Khalifa

[Max B Gold]

Why are so many of you expecting a first time manager to perform miracles? Much of the squad is NL standard. Klopp wouldn't have this club much higher in the table.

Forget the 1st time manager. This goes back to the error made by the owners in not appointing an experienced manager after JE died and which they continue to make.

Had JE not died he would have gutted this squad because he understood it's shortcomings which he overcame by altering the team shape.

A new experienced manager would have done the same or started the process given the transfer window limitations. He wouldn't have signed the players we have.

It wasn't appropriate, can't you see that?

That's just an excuse. We should have appointed an experienced manager as quickly as possible without being disrespectful.

[Long slender neck]

The opportunity was when Fletcher was chosen.

[Max B Gold]

The opportunity was when Fletcher was chosen.

No. That was too late and should have happened much sooner. Face it there has been a series of screwups. Fletcher was just one of them.

[Long slender neck]

Thought you were clever, but maybe you're just another cabbie.

[Max B Gold]

Thought you were clever, but maybe you're just another cabbie.

I win.

[Long slender neck]

When exactly do you think an outsider should have been appointed? Surely hard to say when you don't know how people at the club are feeling

[tuffers#1]

Forget the 1st time manager. This goes back to the error made by the owners in not appointing an experienced manager after JE died and which they continue to make.

Had JE not died he would have gutted this squad because he understood it's shortcomings which he overcame by altering the team shape.

A new experienced manager would have done the same or started the process given the transfer window limitations. He wouldn't have signed the players we have.

It wasn't appropriate, can't you see that?

That's just an excuse. We should have appointed an experienced manager as quickly as possible without being disrespectful.

Nobody experienced would have touched that Job so Early Max . You do understand that people have other motives away from Finacial reward

Unless you offerrd them 4 times the money the job was worth.

[Lucky7]

When exactly do you think an outsider should have been appointed? Surely hard to say when you don't know how people at the club are feeling

Well looking at the usual bleaters posts I think June 10 would of been there ideal date

[gshaw]

The DoF tells us that our scout Foster has 10 players lined up for every position, so even if you take summer out the equation that means in the first half of the season you'd have all the key positions mapped out ready to get deals sewn up asap soon as the window opens.

So where's our physical, imposing CM... a loan extension for a youth from Spurs

Where's the quality striker to give cover to the main pairing, who can't seem to play together and both injury prone... Alabi who should've been gone in summer

Where's the LB cover for Widdowson, which has cost us goals consistently last few games

Problem is Ling doesn't see there is a problem and therefore his puppet Embleton won't either. Clay will remain undroppable, midfield remain anonymous yet somehow it's all fine?

[Millennial Snowflake]

The DoF tells us that our scout Foster has 10 players lined up for every position, so even if you take summer out the equation that means in the first half of the season you'd have all the key positions mapped out ready to get deals sewn up asap soon as the window opens.

So where's our physical, imposing CM... a loan extension for a youth from Spurs

Where's the quality striker to give cover to the main pairing, who can't seem to play together and both injury prone... Alabi who should've been gone in summer

Where's the LB cover for Widdowson, which has cost us goals consistently last few games

Problem is Ling doesn't see there is a problem and therefore his puppet Embleton won't either. Clay will remain undroppable, midfield remain anonymous yet somehow it's all fine?

The club's fans are lucky to have a management structure that communicates so openly with them - I don't know many clubs at all at pro level who do so to the same extent. The downside of this is that once fans are exposed to these snippets of information, they start to wonder how a system could possibly fail as it's more sophisticated than anything they've ever heard of before, and in turn think they can do a better job when things are going badly. The state of posts such as this one and this board since the new owners have taken over tbh is evidence of that.

[gshaw]

The DoF tells us that our scout Foster has 10 players lined up for every position, so even if you take summer out the equation that means in the first half of the season you'd have all the key positions mapped out ready to get deals sewn up asap soon as the window opens.

So where's our physical, imposing CM... a loan extension for a youth from Spurs

Where's the quality striker to give cover to the main pairing, who can't seem to play together and both injury prone... Alabi who should've been gone in summer

Where's the LB cover for Widdowson, which has cost us goals consistently last few games

Problem is Ling doesn't see there is a problem and therefore his puppet Embleton won't either. Clay will remain undroppable, midfield remain anonymous yet somehow it's all fine?

The club's fans are lucky to have a management structure that communicates so openly with them - I don't know many clubs at all at pro level who do so to the same extent. The downside of this is that once fans are exposed to these snippets of information, they start to wonder how a system could possibly fail as it's more sophisticated than anything they've ever heard of before, and in turn think they can do a better job when things are going badly. The state of posts such as this one and this board since the new owners have taken over tbh is evidence of that.

Or alternatively it's PR waffle to placate the easily pleased with no substance to back it up. Club does seem to love a good bit of spin of late, using its unofficial stooges to back it up and stay "on message"

Funny thing is some of the "brave decisions" Ling is lauding Embleton for were discussed on platforms including yes this place. Is that because there's a bunch of qualified football managers on here, no. Is it because it's bleedin' obvious to even the casual eye, yes. Sometimes the simple answer is the one you need, JE was a master of that. Embleton would do well to follow those methods rather than Ling's imo.

[Millennial Snowflake]

I really admire your ability to speak so confidently about something you know less than zero about. Fair play mate

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Why are so many of you expecting a first time manager to perform miracles? Much of the squad is NL standard. Klopp wouldn't have this club much higher in the table.

If him being a first time manager is the issue, why not get someone who isn’t a first time manager?

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Which NL standard players has Ling given extended deals to?

Presumably he means Brill, Coulson, Clay and Ling?

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Yes but it's irrelevant. Now answer the question in the topic title.

It isn’t. The DOF is tasked with improving the squad. He sold Koroma and Bonne and didn’t adequately replace them.

THAT is relevant.

So he should have signed a championship quality strikers?

Again you have failed to answer the question in the OP.

No. Obviously not. We were never going to replace them with like for like. To be fair, the recruitment of Angol and Wilkinson was as good as you could have hoped for, I’ve no issue there.

But they both signed for pennies, whilst Bonne and Koroma departed for big bucks (I hope). Some of that money should have gone into upgrading our weaker areas, such as CM and keeper. That way the team/squad would have been better overall than it was last season.

[Long slender neck]

Why are so many of you expecting a first time manager to perform miracles? Much of the squad is NL standard. Klopp wouldn't have this club much higher in the table.

If him being a first time manager is the issue, why not get someone who isn’t a first time manager?

It's not the issue but it may be a factor.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

So your saying he’s not up to it yet but in time he might be?

[Millennial Snowflake]

Which NL standard players has Ling given extended deals to?

Presumably he means Brill, Coulson, Clay and Ling?

Clay - was offered a new contract by edinburgh at the end of last season
Brill - is goalkeeping coach
Coulson - agree but probably a good player to have around the dressing room, don’t imagine he’ll play as much
Ling - still very young and one of our better players this season, could develop into a football league player

[Max B Gold]

Which NL standard players has Ling given extended deals to?

Presumably he means Brill, Coulson, Clay and Ling?

Clay - was offered a new contract by edinburgh at the end of last season
Brill - is goalkeeping coach
Coulson - agree but probably a good player to have around the dressing room, don’t imagine he’ll play as much
Ling - still very young and one of our better players this season, could develop into a football league player

Four hours since post. No bites yet.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

When someones as obvious as that, best not to take the bait.