The New Freedman Poll

[BWFC_Insane]

We are seen in a bad light by many football fans outside of Bolton for example over our 'treatment' of Megson. Whether that is correct or wrong or balanced it doesn't really matter it is a perception.

Bollox.

Barely anyone outside Bolton & the Megson garden think anything at all about "our treatment" of him. He was a one month wonder to 99% of the World. Where is he now ? If people were genuinely sobbing for him he'd be working.

We have enough issues, we don't need to be inventing them.

Disagree. Rarely have we been on the radar but we were when that happened.

It isn't a problem it's just that we have to remember that the way we regard Bury or Oldham or Wigan is how fans elsewhere regard us. People seem to think that we have something going for us that others don't. But we don't. Essentially we are no different or more likely to attract a manager than Barnsley were last season. No money to spend. Dwindling crowds. The only advantage we have is a wage bill, and that comes down to whether a manager thinks we have enough in the squad to do things with. Plus in the summer we will be making another cut to the wage bill to comply with FFP again.

[TANGODANCER]

Plus in the summer we will be making another cut to the wage bill to comply with FFP again.

.

By that time we'll be getting done for shelling out on new table-tennis bats. Might well be wrong, but it strikes me that Phil Gartside ( like a lot of C.E.O's and directors of football etc currently) is too far in the background. A manager's role is to get the best out of his team and nobody since Sam Allardyce has done that at Bolton. An executive's role is surely to get the best from his managers as a major part of his own role. P.G has dollied his way through four less than successful managers and that fact must have been noticed by Eddie Davis. P.G isn't likely to step up and decry his choices in public, but his choosing is rather suspect to say the least. Somebody of his position and salary, in any other industry would be on his bike way back. What's the saying "There's no sentiment in business" ? An ex-Premiership club of recent demise should hardly be in the bottom three of the Championship with one point after four games. One thing is absolutely for sure, and that's the fact that if things don't improve, and quickly, if I were Eddie Davies, I might be thinking about my own reputation in choosing my underlings and running my business.

[BWFC_Insane]

Plus in the summer we will be making another cut to the wage bill to comply with FFP again.

.

By that time we'll be getting done for shelling out on new table-tennis bats. Might well be wrong, but it strikes me that Phil Gartside ( like a lot of C.E.O's and directors of football etc currently) is too far in the background. A manager's role is to get the best out of his team and nobody since Sam Allardyce has done that at Bolton. An executive's role is surely to get the best from his managers as a major part of his own role. P.G has dollied his way through four less than successful managers and that fact must have been noticed by Eddie Davis. P.G isn't likely to step up and decry his choices in public, but his choosing is rather suspect to say the least. Somebody of his position and salary, in any other industry would be on his bike way back. What's the saying "There's no sentiment in business" ? An ex-Premiership club of recent demise should hardly be in the bottom three of the Championship with one point after four games. One thing is absolutely for sure, and that's the fact that if things don't improve, and quickly, if I were Eddie Davies, I might be thinking about my own reputation in choosing my underlings and running my business.

I think one thing is that there are very very few Sam Allardyces knocking around.

So finding one as good as him I think we can forget that.

Gartside's decision not to pay Steve Bruce's compensation when we were in the premiership is looking increasingly terrible. Though Bruce was hardly popular on here iirc. He's probably the best manager we'd have been able to have had post Allardyce.

As for Eddie's reputation, he has several businesses, I doubt Bolton Wanderers is close to being his primary focus, nor will his reputation suffer either.

Plenty of ex premiership clubs have found themselves where we are or worse. Look at Wolves, Leeds, Southampton, Coventry, Man City, Bradford, Barnsley, Forest, Leicester etc etc.

It is not unique and seems to be something that happens. Probably because once clubs get on downward spirals it is incredibly difficult to reverse and a much harder job than managing a club looking the other way, or one with lower expectations.

[bobo the clown]

So. Anyway ... have you given up on Freedman yet ?

[BWFC_Insane]

So. Anyway ... have you given up on Freedman yet ?

He looks to be struggling.

I still think without investment we will be bumbling along in the bottom half of this league irrespective.

There are plenty of managers named that I'd far rather just keep Freedman than have managing us. Di Canio for one. Brian McDermott for another.

[CrazyHorse]

Now is actually the time the club needs the most support. But it is being deserted.

Maybe if the manager served up something other than stale tripe to the supporters they'd be more inclined to pay good money to watch the games.

[bobo the clown]

So, that's a "yes" then. Must be embarrassing after two years of blind support and excuse-making for him.

Ne' mind luv.

[BWFC_Insane]

Now is actually the time the club needs the most support. But it is being deserted.

Maybe if the manager served up something other than stale tripe to the supporters they'd be more inclined to pay good money to watch the games.

Yes but it is catch 22. Half empty macron stadium means lower income which means poorer players etc etc...

People have been unhappy under Lee, Megson, Coyle and Freedman. For a variety of reasons. Mostly justified.

But as crowds have dwindled in that time irrespective of the style of football it suggests to me that barring being top of the league it will be hard to restore past attendances.

[journojonesy]

First time poster, long time listener. Just thought I'd express an opinion (be gentle with me) while there's a topic of fair weather fans. I used to have a season ticket etc. I'll admit I don't go the Macron regular anymore as the cost of tickets is simply not value for money. Atmosphere aside the on field product isn't very good. I would go for less money and there were many games last season I checked for tickets for midweek games but decided against due to the cost factor.

The point I'm lingering towards is this, cheaper tickets would probably get more fans in the ground.

5000 fans paying £20 per ticket = £100k
10,000 fans paying £10 per ticket = £100k

You would also get an additional 5000 fans buying food etc on the concourse. Personally I think it's a simplistic view to suggest that if less people are going the price has to be higher.

Apologies if offence to any.

[IggyTheDawgster]

Drop ticket prices. 30 quid a ticket and a half empy stadium or 15 quid a ticket and more people come to watch, better atmosphere, more support and more chance of revenue from food and drinks. It's not hard is it.

The guy above me has the exact same idea, at the same time. that was uncanny

[BWFC_Insane]

So, that's a "yes" then. Must be embarrassing after two years of blind support and excuse-making for him.

Ne' mind luv.

I'm not.

Are you embarrassed that you once said you'd not come and watch Bolton if they appointed Steve Bruce as manager? Cos from where I'm sitting that looks like incredibly poor judgement to me.

[bobo the clown]

Not in the least. A man to whom loyalty is an anathema. Not my style.

Though "I'm not" is a peculiar answer to the above.

[StaffsTrotter]

whilst the poll is giving a pretty clear majority, in terms of comparing with previous ones does anyone know how the number of voters compare ? - is it just the disgruntled who've voted this time.

genuine question for the dougie out voters - if we went on a good run, and suddenly were on the fringes of the play offs would you still want him out

[TANGODANCER]

whilst the poll is giving a pretty clear majority, in terms of comparing with previous ones does anyone know how the number of voters compare ? - is it just the disgruntled who've voted this time.

genuine question for the dougie out voters - if we went on a good run, and suddenly were on the fringes of the play offs would you still want him out

The only reason folk want him out, S.T. is because we haven't been on a good run (for a fair while) and on this form won't be anywhere near the play off. That's a bit like asking somebody with water would you like them better if they gave you a drink when you're dying of thirst. That's what fans want him to do, stop the rot and turn things round.

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

genuine question for the dougie out voters - if we went on a good run, and suddenly were on the fringes of the play offs would you still want him out

Yes. Every season, including Palace, he has a little purple patch, but most of it is dross and literally pointless. I've seen nothing to suggest that we will see a sustained improvement.

[bobo the clown]

whilst the poll is giving a pretty clear majority, in terms of comparing with previous ones does anyone know how the number of voters compare ? - is it just the disgruntled who've voted this time.

genuine question for the dougie out voters - if we went on a good run, and suddenly were on the fringes of the play offs would you still want him out

I'm not sure how we're going to get onto a good run but if we did then a large amount of the pressure would be removed. I, personally, would still hate his football style and his bullshit but I'd have to suck it up I guess.

His defensive style, "playing without the ball", concentrating on the opposition even when we should have them concerned about us, the gap between defence and attack, playing two DM's, playing Trotter .... none of it is encouraging a fan base to hold on in there. It's not getting results either. But, yes, if he started getting results he'd had started turning things round.

[Lord Kangana]

We are seen in a bad light by many football fans outside of Bolton for example over our 'treatment' of Megson. Whether that is correct or wrong or balanced it doesn't really matter it is a perception.

Bollox.

Barely anyone outside Bolton & the Megson garden think anything at all about "our treatment" of him. He was a one month wonder to 99% of the World. Where is he now ? If people were genuinely sobbing for him he'd be working.

We have enough issues, we don't need to be inventing them.

Most people think Megson is a dick. I know Forest, Leicester, even West Brom fans who can't stand the man and who had complete empathy with our "treatment" of him.

[SmokinFrazier]

genuine question for the dougie out voters - if we went on a good run, and suddenly were on the fringes of the play offs would you still want him out

Yes. Every season, including Palace, he has a little purple patch, but most of it is dross and literally pointless. I've seen nothing to suggest that we will see a sustained improvement.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. More than any other manager I can think of Freedman builds up good runs and bad runs. We've seen that with his first season in charge and then the start of last season. The contrast in results is ridiculous and I'm not sure why that is. I've noticed results tend to improve when we're at rock bottom, so maybe Freedman is at his best when a sacking is looming and he throws caution to the wind? That would apply to a good period at Palace which came after getting 3 points in 12 games, as I mentioned recently.

Inconsistency isn't a commendable trait though, consistency is. Even if we won our next 5 games, Freedman obviously would be safe but he'd still be a flawed manager, just as likely to lose his next 5 because he's not good enough. I'd want him out unless he can become consistently good, which I don't think he can.

[Worthy4England]

Inconsistency isn't a commendable trait though, consistency is.

He's being fairly consistent at the moment, I'm not convinced commendable is how I'd describe it.

[TonyDomingos]

Dougie did manage a run last season of over 30 games where we averaged around the 1.5 ppg usually needed for the play offs. The problem was that there were some poor results - and performances - in that run which made it appear less impressive. And, of course, he didn't manage to achieve that level of (good) consistency over the entire season.

Personally, I think he'll be here for a while longer yet; I don't think those at the top of the club are that bothered about putting a lot of effort / cash into getting promotion.