Freedman out!

[bobo the clown]

“I tell all my strikers ‘you will be playing the next six games at 90 minutes’ or ‘you will play the next four games at 90 minutes,’ so they feel a bit more relaxed.

“You have got to believe in yourself, you have got to believe in the style of play, you have got to believe in your training and you have got to make sure the players believe in you.

“Hopefully, that then turns into goals.”

Has he really said that ?

I said elsewhere that he has the habit of opening his mouth and putting his foot in it.

It's the fact that he so constantly contradicts himself. Almost like a poor man's mind-games with the fans.

For a start, above, it's actually unusual for strikers to get full 90 minute matches. Especially if playing with one up front. Often, if they do the job right, they are crackered by about 70. And, on occasions you simply need to alter the formation, just to shake it up a bit.

I don't disagree with saying "you're going to get a run" if it takes the tension off a bit. But again he has lauded himself previously with his view that what is shown in training will get you games .... while not wanted idle players to be getting picked I've always found that, as such an absolute statement, odd.

I think he reads management manuals ... "Football Management for Dummies", "Management for Morons" etc. and then simply spouts out the headline from last nights chapter.

He is a worry.

[thebish]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

[jaffka]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

Spouting your mouth off, crap league position and ineffective football don't really go together.

[Enoch]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

I concur and will never tire saying so.

I do agree with Mr Clowns sentiment that Freedman could use a bit of schooling in the art of talking bollocks though.

[danardif1]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

Spouting your mouth off, crap league position and ineffective football don't really go together.

Half the Football League lives off those very ideas.

[SmokinFrazier]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

It's not so much what they say to the press though. A manager shouldn't be telling a player that they're going to get a run of 6 games in the team...why would they? If he actually does do that, then it's awful management and if he doesn't, why lie about it?

Didn't really know where else to post this, but from what I recall a few people have mentioned in this thread about wanting PG out too. With Nicola Cortese leaving Southampton surely it would be worth seeing if he'd be interested in coming up here? It's unlikely I know, but he did help oversee the Saints' frankly meteoric and impressive rise from administration and League 1 to the Premiership, whilst developing a young and talented squad on similar funds to us. He's someone we could do with right now.

apparently AC Milan were interested in Cortese back when Southampton were in League One, so I doubt it'll happen. He did great things with Southampton though.

[Worthy4England]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

I concur and will never tire saying so.

I do agree with Mr Clowns sentiment that Freedman could use a bit of schooling in the art of talking bollocks though.

I thought that Mr Clowns sentiment was the exact opposite and that he needed no schooling whatsoever in the art of talking bollocks!

[thebish]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

It's not so much what they say to the press though. A manager shouldn't be telling a player that they're going to get a run of 6 games in the team...why would they? If he actually does do that, then it's awful management and if he doesn't, why lie about it?

yes... if you say so.. I'm sure it all means that Freedman is crap and we should sack him and you were right all along...

as i have said before - i really don't think anyone should bother with managers' comments to the press - it's is almost always a non-story - and players... load of tit, the lot of it.

they could show more football on MOTD if they decided not to do utterly pointless post-game interviews with managers and players.. did any of them ever say anything immediately post-match that was in the slightest bit interesting or illuminating?

pre-game isn't any better either. we survived in the olden days with nothing - in fact it was better with nothing...

[bobo the clown]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

I concur and will never tire saying so.

I do agree with Mr Clowns sentiment that Freedman could use a bit of schooling in the art of talking bollocks though.

I thought that Mr Clowns sentiment was the exact opposite and that he needed no schooling whatsoever in the art of talking bollocks!

Ha !!

... &, in fact, everyone is correct !!

[StaffsTrotter]

managers spout shoite all the time - they all do - it's part of the job. making judgements about managers based on what they say to the press is a mug's game...

It's not so much what they say to the press though. A manager shouldn't be telling a player that they're going to get a run of 6 games in the team...why would they? If he actually does do that, then it's awful management and if he doesn't, why lie about it?

yes... if you say so.. I'm sure it all means that Freedman is crap and we should sack him and you were right all along...

as i have said before - i really don't think anyone should bother with managers' comments to the press - it's is almost always a non-story - and players... load of tit, the lot of it.

they could show more football on MOTD if they decided not to do utterly pointless post-game interviews with managers and players.. did any of them ever say anything immediately post-match that was in the slightest bit interesting or illuminating?

pre-game isn't any better either. we survived in the olden days with nothing - in fact it was better with nothing...

OK accepting this is a forum and the opinion of posters makes diddly squat difference wrt douglas and as we've generally accepted there isn't the money to get rid of him even if the club wanted, we could just close this thread.

People will still have opinions on dougie though, but I'm curious bish, as to what factors you think us plebs can base those on. Doesn't seem we should take any notice of what he says, what he does, the league position, the performances. I get the don't worry, be happy mantra, but suggest don't worry leads to don't care i.e. apathy and can see only one outcome from that

SFs point was spot on. If dougie had continued with his perform in training mantra (so we'll never be in a position to judge) or one of the more normal football manager earn the right to the shirt platitudes that would have been fine. Its the peculiarity of what he's said.

I've said before this is the first of our managers I don't get at almost any level, but I'll take my hat off to him (before I punch him) if he reveals in his future autobiography, that he was on a giant piss take.

[thebish]

People will still have opinions on dougie though, but I'm curious bish, as to what factors you think us plebs can base those on. Doesn't seem we should take any notice of what he says, what he does, the league position, the performances.

having an opinion that he can spout shoite (like any manager), that we have had poor results so far this season, that our league position is lower than it should be does not automatically lead to the conclusion for everyone that he should therefore be sacked now. I know it does for you - but it clearly doesn't for everyone. hey - it's a diverse world! celebrate the diversity!


(not sure how any of us can have a really clear opinion on "what he does" - maybe you are better placed to judge than the rest of us?)

[BWFC_Insane]

How is saying that you like to give strikers (note he is talking about strikers specifically here) a run of games to get confidence and hopefully goals controversial at all?

Fact is we only have two fit? strikers in the senior squad right now so he has little choice in any case.

There is little point getting hung up on all this. The club is focused on trying to avoid a potential transfer ban and/or fine, next season by cutting the annual loss by more than £40M in a year.

Is arguing over throwaway comments by the manager in a local paper really relevant against that backdrop?

[jonnycooper]

Those managers that don't spout shite are perhaps members of a very'very'very secretive society.As nobody knows where such managers are!

[Lord Kangana]

(not sure how any of us can have a really clear opinion on "what he does"

Actually, it appears that some people do.

Maybe one day they'll let us into the secret of what a football manager does beyond coaching the team that could take so much time and effort to garner no discernible results.

[bobo the clown]

(not sure how any of us can have a really clear opinion on "what he does"

Actually, it appears that some people do.

Maybe one day they'll let us into the secret of what a football manager does beyond coaching the team that could take so much time and effort to garner no discernible results.

It's all that training ground and 'backroom' stuff.

It's the future.

[Lord Kangana]

Seriously though...

Do all the bog rolls have to be neatly folded into a triangular end or something before training can start, and thats whats holding things up?

Its getting to be a bigger joke than the ping pong.

[Worthy4England]

(not sure how any of us can have a really clear opinion on "what he does"

Actually, it appears that some people do.

Maybe one day they'll let us into the secret of what a football manager does beyond coaching the team that could take so much time and effort to garner no discernible results.

Our target was to go straight back up last year which we failed in - but we had a shit start, so DF gets some leeway, our target is to go up this year, but we had the worst start in 100 years, and which we're failing in. Not sure how much more leeway he should get. I don't mind what he does particularly, as long as it achieves the target he's been set.

[thebish]

but do you get all frothy at the mouth over what he says at a press conference?? maybe you should!

[StaffsTrotter]

People will still have opinions on dougie though, but I'm curious bish, as to what factors you think us plebs can base those on. Doesn't seem we should take any notice of what he says, what he does, the league position, the performances.

having an opinion that he can spout shoite (like any manager), that we have had poor results so far this season, that our league position is lower than it should be does not automatically lead to the conclusion for everyone that he should therefore be sacked now. I know it does for you - but it clearly doesn't for everyone. hey - it's a diverse world! celebrate the diversity!



(not sure how any of us can have a really clear opinion on "what he does" - maybe you are better placed to judge than the rest of us?)

not at all. as I said I thought most of us (including me) realise he's here for a duration irrespective of 'performance', so we'll get to see whether he's a slow burner. You may think I'm really anti dougie but honestly its just more I'm not buying into what he's selling

going round in circles a bit, Not sure what the difference is between an opinion and a clear opinion unless the latter is more of a decision. I've not got any special insight, my opinion is simply based on those factors that some seem to think are irrelevant - what he says, what he does, and most importantly how the team performs (particularly in front of my eyes) - not sure what else it can be, unless he makes a crackin cup of tea I'm unaware of

[thebish]

People will still have opinions on dougie though, but I'm curious bish, as to what factors you think us plebs can base those on. Doesn't seem we should take any notice of what he says, what he does, the league position, the performances.

having an opinion that he can spout shoite (like any manager), that we have had poor results so far this season, that our league position is lower than it should be does not automatically lead to the conclusion for everyone that he should therefore be sacked now. I know it does for you - but it clearly doesn't for everyone. hey - it's a diverse world! celebrate the diversity!



(not sure how any of us can have a really clear opinion on "what he does" - maybe you are better placed to judge than the rest of us?)

not at all. as I said I thought most of us (including me) realise he's here for a duration irrespective of 'performance', so we'll get to see whether he's a slow burner. You may think I'm really anti dougie but honestly its just more I'm not buying into what he's selling

going round in circles a bit, Not sure what the difference is between an opinion and a clear opinion unless the latter is more of a decision. I've not got any special insight, my opinion is simply based on those factors that some seem to think are irrelevant - what he says, what he does, and most importantly how the team performs (particularly in front of my eyes) - not sure what else it can be, unless he makes a crackin cup of tea I'm unaware of

i was talking specifically about your phrase "what he does" - most of it alleged stuff at the training ground and "backroom" - I don't know how any of us could have much of a clear opinion about that unless we were there and know what it is he "does"... what he "says" we can hear - we know what the results and league position are - but - what he "does"... what is that - how do you know and how is it bad?