Freedman out!

[Prufrock]

Wonker !

[Enoch]

Cockerknee whites. Generally refined, educated,

Indeed, 'appen they are.

Jolly nice chaps to a man, particularly that Prufrock fella.

Good show.

[TonyDomingos]

Although I wouldn't want him in the seat forever, last time he was caretaker Jiminho got a win and a draw - a better hit-rate than the incumbent. (Alright, he was technically also in charge for the subsequent loss at Boro, but that was after Freedman had been appointed - and that's still four points from three games, as opposed to the five from nine games so far this season.)

Be intriguing to see the reaction from the away 400 at Fulham. It's a long way to go to boo, but equally if you go that far and you're inclined to, you might not stand on ceremony.

I'd expect close to half will be Cockerknee whites. Generally refined, educated, not seeing Bolton all that often ... plus Pru. They may be amazed by our usual 15 minutes decent football and the absolute tosh which follows, and our lack of fight. Seeing it before your eyes is quite different than reading about it.

The first impact is normally stunned silence, disbelief and shaking of heads whilst muttering quietly "I knew it was bad, but ...".

I've been a Cockernee White for almost 25 years; I've seen more than my fair share of poor performances in that time. Put it like this: I saw us win at Watford last season; having missed QPR in 2011, my previous league win was at West Ham in 2010. That's two wins in about 20+ London / SE games over four years. I haven't bothered to go back any further, but I bet I've not seen more than half dozen wins in the past ten years!
Fortunately, I'm on holiday at the moment, so I will miss Wednesday's draw.

[TKIZ!]

Although I wouldn't want him in the seat forever, last time he was caretaker Jiminho got a win and a draw - a better hit-rate than the incumbent. (Alright, he was technically also in charge for the subsequent loss at Boro, but that was after Freedman had been appointed - and that's still four points from three games, as opposed to the five from nine games so far this season.)

Be intriguing to see the reaction from the away 400 at Fulham. It's a long way to go to boo, but equally if you go that far and you're inclined to, you might not stand on ceremony.

I'd expect close to half will be Cockerknee whites. Generally refined, educated, not seeing Bolton all that often ... plus Pru. They may be amazed by our usual 15 minutes decent football and the absolute tosh which follows, and our lack of fight. Seeing it before your eyes is quite different than reading about it.

The first impact is normally stunned silence, disbelief and shaking of heads whilst muttering quietly "I knew it was bad, but ...".

I've been a Cockernee White for almost 25 years; I've seen more than my fair share of poor performances in that time. Put it like this: I saw us win at Watford last season; having missed QPR in 2011, my previous league win was at West Ham in 2010. That's two wins in about 20+ London / SE games over four years. I haven't bothered to go back any further, but I bet I've not seen more than half dozen wins in the past ten years!
Fortunately, I'm on holiday at the moment, so I will miss Wednesday's draw.

This one's for you, Tony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWSSe5xlZ94" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-XQEm4kjmU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TonyDomingos]

Although I wouldn't want him in the seat forever, last time he was caretaker Jiminho got a win and a draw - a better hit-rate than the incumbent. (Alright, he was technically also in charge for the subsequent loss at Boro, but that was after Freedman had been appointed - and that's still four points from three games, as opposed to the five from nine games so far this season.)

Be intriguing to see the reaction from the away 400 at Fulham. It's a long way to go to boo, but equally if you go that far and you're inclined to, you might not stand on ceremony.

I'd expect close to half will be Cockerknee whites. Generally refined, educated, not seeing Bolton all that often ... plus Pru. They may be amazed by our usual 15 minutes decent football and the absolute tosh which follows, and our lack of fight. Seeing it before your eyes is quite different than reading about it.

The first impact is normally stunned silence, disbelief and shaking of heads whilst muttering quietly "I knew it was bad, but ...".

I've been a Cockernee White for almost 25 years; I've seen more than my fair share of poor performances in that time. Put it like this: I saw us win at Watford last season; having missed QPR in 2011, my previous league win was at West Ham in 2010. That's two wins in about 20+ London / SE games over four years. I haven't bothered to go back any further, but I bet I've not seen more than half dozen wins in the past ten years!
Fortunately, I'm on holiday at the moment, so I will miss Wednesday's draw.

This one's for you, Tony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWSSe5xlZ94" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-XQEm4kjmU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bristol_Wanderer3]

Some points:

1.) First of all our predicament is extremely saddening. It is very tough to come down from the Premiership and re-structure the club to be quickly effective in the slog that is the Championship. Ideally the relegated team sells their most talented and high earning players for vast sums therefore reducing the wage bill and allowing for purchases of the best players at this level. Unfortunately we couldn't find buyers for the likes of Mark Davies and Chung Young Lee, and we couldn't extract big fees for the likes of Sordell, Alonso, Eagles, Mears etc. So we are skint with some talented players perhaps not suited for this league, and a lot of cheaper end palyers who just simply aren't that good at this level. Hence we are struggling.

2.) DF. I actually think he is potentially a decent modern manager, and a good manager for our club. We did well to get him at a time when there were few decent options imo. However it isn't working, we are boring and terrible, and I am surprised he is still in charge for the Fulham game.

3.) PG. I struggle to understand the fans' venom directed towards him. He has been a great chairman for us and has overseen many years of over achievement on the pitch and astute development off it. We are a bigger, more respected club as a result. Anyone who has met him, or spoke with him surely cannot deny he is a genuine fan of the club and has its best interests at heart. It wouldn't surprise me if he took this opportunity to walk away, he is over 60 now and must feel this is a big task for a younger guy. My guess is that we will miss him when he has gone and our club will be on very dangerous ground if he goes now. It is simply close to impossible to run successfully a loss making enterprise like ours, whilst being more successful than bigger, richer rivals. Anyone who was around in the Warburton years in the 80s will remember what a bad chairman really looks and feels like.

4.) ED. I really hope he continues to be the financial benefactor for the club. Quite simply, if he goes, and it must be uncertain whether he would continue without his long term ally PG, it is hard to see anything but decline and possible demise.

If Freedman doesn't survive this storm then we are faced with the same issues we had when we got him. Declining club, little money, not a great proposition in theory. I doubt Tony Pulis would be interested, but if ED really wants any chance of getting some of his debt repaid in the medium term, he might want to invest what is in todays terms a relatively small amount and give someone like Pulis some transfer market clout (if that is possible in the world of financial fair play) and get us turning around. Otherwise I feel a further relegation might have to occur before we start thinking progressively.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

Genuine question here...

What makes you think he is potentially a good manager? I ask because I have seen nothing to even hint at it.

1. Man management extremely questionable.
2. Team selection/tactics are all over the place. If there is any logic behind it I must be too thick to see it.
3. Unable to instil confidence in the team.
4. The team look more confused than a rabbit in headlights.
5. Hasn't improved defence, midfield or attack in 2 years.
6. Talks shite and contradicts himself constantly.
7. Seems to think he's businessman of the year.
8. The football, the morale, the players and the results are abysmal.

In his defence, he hasn't been working in the easiest of situations. A half decent manager would be able to galvanise the players we have, install a siege mentality and fight. Not something we've seen much of for quite some time. If the results were shite, but you could see fight, improvement and a direction then I'd be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Anyone who was around in the Warburton years in the 80s will remember what a bad chairman really looks and feels like.

Ooh, that sent a folk-memory shiver.

There's also plenty worse chairmen about now.

I've said before that I understand the disillusionment with PG, but I don't agree with it. I don't believe there are many better options out there – or certainly not as many, as easily implemented, as replacements for DF.

Hate to raise the red spectre, but United's troubles haven't just been down to losing Ferguson - they've been pretty awful off the field too since David Gill was replaced by a frankly bamboozled Ed Woodward. First they missed out on pretty much all their transfer targets under Moyes- except Fellaini, for whom they laughably overpaid - then they've thrown money about like a man with no arms. A decent football CEO is much much harder to find than a decent manager, because there are far fewer of them - and being (in the main) astute businessmen, they'll steer clear of a car-crash like us.

[coffeymagic]

DSB - You could be right or it could be that football is just a big boys club where failure is immaterial because you've got a friend at Club X who's a golfing buddy and you can sort him out with a nice littel job on the board because he's a great 'networker'.

Football and The City (great name for a TV show) are two areas of 'business' where it doesn't matter how bad you are at your job there's always another better paid job waiting for you.

Ignominy and shame take a back seat to self entitlement and self pride where people become overblown with their achievements and over padded cvs.

Yes the warbies were a drain on the club and Gartside at his worst is a million times better than them at their best but he is the man who, if you believe him wouldn't back BSA, employed Lee, Megson, Coyle and now this arse.

He has to take the ultimate responsibility but when did a chairman ever do that?

[bobo the clown]

A quite reasoned presentation by Bristol. I do take AT's view on Freedman though and I believe the reasonable "he may go on to be a good manager" approach is part of human caution. Not wanting to be too sweeping and also the perfectly natural desires to find good, or potential in people and also to cover your ass in case he turns out to be a World beater later in life.

I've never subscribed to beating up Gartside. I could go on about his good & bad but the main thing to his detriment right now, and making even his supporters wonder wtf is his uncharacteristic silence at this horrible, terrible time for our club. Whatever else is required he has to come out of his bunker. Even if it's to support the current idiot. He cannot keep on keeping his head down hoping it'll go away.

[Bijou Bob]

I'm trying, and failing to think of a manager under pressure who has managed to turn round a team. Megson managed a 3 match run that kept us up, Ferguson famously turned round the scum, but apart from that? Anyone?? Once the bedsheets come out, is it all over every time?

[bobo the clown]

I'm trying, and failing to think of a manager under pressure who has managed to turn round a team. Megson managed a 3 match run that kept us up, Ferguson famously turned round the scum, but apart from that? Anyone?? Once the bedsheets come out, is it all over every time?

I suppose Pardew has hung on longer than you may have expected but in general, once you get to this stage its 'dead man walking' time.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Didn't Curbishley do it at West Ham once?

https://twitter.com/AlansAvailable" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDIT Sorry, if you mean folks already in the job: I suppose Robbo at West Brom that time, although if memory serves they did stay up with 36pts so were rather jammy.

EDIT EDIT ....and they went down the next season!

[thebish]

I'm trying, and failing to think of a manager under pressure who has managed to turn round a team. Megson managed a 3 match run that kept us up, Ferguson famously turned round the scum, but apart from that? Anyone?? Once the bedsheets come out, is it all over every time?

dougie at Palace??

[IggyTheDawgster]

I'm trying, and failing to think of a manager under pressure who has managed to turn round a team. Megson managed a 3 match run that kept us up, Ferguson famously turned round the scum, but apart from that? Anyone?? Once the bedsheets come out, is it all over every time?

dougie at Palace??

Dyche did a pretty good job at Burnley.

[coffeymagic]

Football is so set in its ways and stubborn that I'm not surprised that teams do well for a few games after a new boss comes in.

That's why we get so many 'one season wonders'. Managers must start the season by saying Team X is going to play this way and so we'll play THAT way when we play them.

Doesn't matter if that's in August or May the idea's in there and it's unshakeable.

Sack a man in October and he'll get away with a few results because these dopey bastards are still playing his predecessor when they should be adapting to the new guy's 'tactics'.

One season on and the penny drops and we find a way to work around his favourite Yew Tree formation or diagonal lumps in to the big man up top.

There's the old addage of 'taking one game at a time'. While there has to be some forward planning I think DF's over cooking things by planning weeks in advance when anything could hapen in the mean time.

[EverSoYouri]

I'm trying, and failing to think of a manager under pressure who has managed to turn round a team. Megson managed a 3 match run that kept us up, Ferguson famously turned round the scum, but apart from that? Anyone?? Once the bedsheets come out, is it all over every time?

dougie at Palace??

Dyche did a pretty good job at Burnley.

I imagine Dyche might be heading towards bed sheet moment as we speak...

[bobo the clown]

I'm trying, and failing to think of a manager under pressure who has managed to turn round a team. Megson managed a 3 match run that kept us up, Ferguson famously turned round the scum, but apart from that? Anyone?? Once the bedsheets come out, is it all over every time?

dougie at Palace??

Dyche did a pretty good job at Burnley.

I imagine Dyche might be heading towards bed sheet moment as we speak...

Naah. This season's limited performance is all part of a plan for World domination.

[Harry Genshaw]

"That taxi you ordered? He's just turning into your street now"

[Lord Kangana]

How the f*ck is he still here?

Why the f*ck is Gartside not stomping Freedman's guts out?

In fact, why the f*ck is ED not stomping Big Phil's guts out?

What the f*ck is going on?