Dougie Freedman - New Manager

[thebish]

The secret right now is out that I'm going to sign players that are maybe not better than the ones I've got...


hmmm... I can see what he's saying there - but given the now popular belief that our entire squad is a shower of unmitigated shoite... this is a bold thing to say!!!

[boltonboris]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

[Gravedigger]

Better keep his money in Uncle Eddie's pocket and see what happens in Summer. Why buy players worse than the ones we have who can't consistently win games? Seems a strange philosophy to adopt. Might as well get some cricketers in who can play footie.

[ChrisC]

Maybe he just means he wants players that can carry us for seasons to come. Yes they might not be the finished player just yet but at we hopefully progress then so will they. We can't exactly try and get back up to the big boys league and then buy top end players and or do what Sam did with the big names. Would anybody on here feel comfortable going back up with the current lot?

For me personally, I would happily see us play the next few seasons in the championship with a team of potential mixed with experience if it meant having a stronger team if/when we manage to get back to the Premiership.

[Enoch]

I'm one that may be seen by some as a Freedman apologist, though that's far from the case.

My view on Freedman is based on what I witnessed as a neutral observer over 18 months or so at Crystal Palace and some other stuff. Since I registered on here I've not been shy of making the case that our club was in a pickle when he arrived and that I believe he will put things right producing a quality team over time.

To date I've seen nothing to change my view.

The old Mark Twain adage “If you have nothing to say, say nothing”, is something I'd like him to adopt. I do feel his attempts at appeasing the media's insatiable appetite for copy, has set him up at times. If he hasn't already done one, a course on how to talk to the press might be in order. If he has done one, maybe a refresher! Anyone that makes a habit of listening to his interviews and picking up on what's said will likely get nothing more than ulcers for their trouble.

The proof or otherwise of Freedman's ability will not come this season. Even in the unlikely event that we made the playoffs it would prove nothing, even Owen took Burnley up.

My view, which is worth no more nor less than anyone else's, is that in the time he's been here, he's made a big difference to the club for the good.

[BWFC_Insane]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

Reading between the lines, and not that hard, he's saying that we have a lot of ability on the squad for this division but perhaps not the right balance in terms of physicality and not the right attitude or mentality.

[Lord Kangana]

So we have good players then?

[SmokinFrazier]

Maybe he just means he wants players that can carry us for seasons to come. Yes they might not be the finished player just yet but at we hopefully progress then so will they. We can't exactly try and get back up to the big boys league and then buy top end players and or do what Sam did with the big names. Would anybody on here feel comfortable going back up with the current lot?

For me personally, I would happily see us play the next few seasons in the championship with a team of potential mixed with experience if it meant having a stronger team if/when we manage to get back to the Premiership.

We have a team which almost,stayed the Premier League, without two of our best players. If we get promoted, we'll be in a battle but with the squad wr have, relegation is not a foregone conclusion. Stay in the Championship for a few years and we'll build a Championship quality side, who if they do get promoted, will lack quality to stay there. To stay up, we'll need to invest.

We need a manager to get this team promoted, not to keep one or two players and replace the rest with hard workers who are suited to the Championship but who are found out in the Premier League.

[thebish]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

Reading between the lines, and not that hard, he's saying that we have a lot of ability on the squad for this division but perhaps not the right balance in terms of physicality and not the right attitude or mentality.

I can see hunger and potential there (which you are translating as attitude/mentality) - but between which lines is "physicality"???

[Annoyed Grunt]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

Reading between the lines, and not that hard, he's saying that we have a lot of ability on the squad for this division but perhaps not the right balance in terms of physicality and not the right attitude or mentality.

I can see hunger and potential there (which you are translating as attitude/mentality) - but between which lines is "physicality"???

Scrappers? Only thing I can think of.

[thebish]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

Reading between the lines, and not that hard, he's saying that we have a lot of ability on the squad for this division but perhaps not the right balance in terms of physicality and not the right attitude or mentality.

I can see hunger and potential there (which you are translating as attitude/mentality) - but between which lines is "physicality"???

Scrappers? Only thing I can think of.

nahhh - that's an attitude thing, not a size thing...

[BWFC_Insane]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

Reading between the lines, and not that hard, he's saying that we have a lot of ability on the squad for this division but perhaps not the right balance in terms of physicality and not the right attitude or mentality.

I can see hunger and potential there (which you are translating as attitude/mentality) - but between which lines is "physicality"???

Not in those quotes but before he's talked about the 'balance in the squad not being right'.

And I'm assuming he means we don't have enough big nasty fookers. It is of course reading between the lines. But given his targets appear to be a big centre back and a tough defensive midfield player.....

[thebish]

I get more confused, the more I hear him talk. We're not after signing players better than the ones we have, but we'll sign them regardless... I thought all if our players were shit and uncoachable?!

Reading between the lines, and not that hard, he's saying that we have a lot of ability on the squad for this division but perhaps not the right balance in terms of physicality and not the right attitude or mentality.

I can see hunger and potential there (which you are translating as attitude/mentality) - but between which lines is "physicality"???

Not in those quotes but before he's talked about the 'balance in the squad not being right'.

And I'm assuming he means we don't have enough big nasty fookers. It is of course reading between the lines. But given his targets appear to be a big centre back and a tough defensive midfield player.....

ahh - you mean reading between the lines - but not the lines that had just been quoted!

[BWFC_Insane]

ahh - you mean reading between the lines - but not the lines that had just been quoted!

Of course, read between the lines....

[boltonboris]

See, what he says and what he does (so far) are completely different. He talks of a youthful side with potential, yet signs a forward older than all but one of the current forwards. He tells is a player is perfectly fit and "exactly where he wants them to be", then a week later says their too unfit to play.

I think he forgets what says, then says something that he thinks people want him to say, but he says it in a way that you can't understand so that when he's called up on it, he can say "I never ACTUALLY said that". He's quite clever really

[BWFC_Insane]

See, what he says and what he does (so far) are completely different. He talks of a youthful side with potential, yet signs a forward older than all but one of the current forwards. He tells is a player is perfectly fit and "exactly where he wants them to be", then a week later says their too unfit to play.

I think he forgets what says, then says something that he thinks people want him to say, but he says it in a way that you can't understand so that when he's called up on it, he can say "I never ACTUALLY said that". He's quite clever really

He also talks about signing players who want to be here who haven't made it yet. His signing fits that bill. As he has explained. It doesn't mean every player he signs has to be 19. Far from it.

The Sordell thing, he's hardly going to reveal every single thing that goes on behind closed doors.

It's fairly obvious that a bloke that's barely kicked a ball in a proper game for a year may well not be up to speed for two games a week. That doesn't mean he's not fit or 'where the manager would like him' at this stage.

[boltonboris]

I've got some straws in my drawer, I'll bring them to the Everton game incase you run out of ones to clutch .

As for your comment of "players who want to be here", we could pluck any fvcker out of the football league and they'd love to be here. That shouldn't be the key parameter for a signing.

EDIT.. Let me just add: I'm not writing Davies off, not Dougie for that matter. I'm just highlighting some discrepancies with his comments. He does it a lot and even you, as a staunch defender of him, can see that?

[BWFC_Insane]

I've got some straws in my drawer, I'll bring them to the Everton game incase you run out of ones to clutch .

As for your comment of "players who want to be here", we could pluck any fvcker out of the football league and they'd love to be here. That shouldn't be the key parameter for a signing.

Personally I think you're clutching at straws as you've decided you don't like him for whatever reason.

I think he's talked sense and carried through with what he's discussed, within the parameters of a manager and what he is able to reveal to the media.

[boltonboris]

I've got some straws in my drawer, I'll bring them to the Everton game incase you run out of ones to clutch .

As for your comment of "players who want to be here", we could pluck any fvcker out of the football league and they'd love to be here. That shouldn't be the key parameter for a signing.

Personally I think you're clutching at straws as you've decided you don't like him for whatever reason.

I think he's talked sense and carried through with what he's discussed, within the parameters of a manager and what he is able to reveal to the media.

I actually don't mind him!! I can see what he's trying to achieve... He just doesn't convince me yet, that he can manage the neccessary changes

[BWFC_Insane]

I've got some straws in my drawer, I'll bring them to the Everton game incase you run out of ones to clutch .

As for your comment of "players who want to be here", we could pluck any fvcker out of the football league and they'd love to be here. That shouldn't be the key parameter for a signing.

Personally I think you're clutching at straws as you've decided you don't like him for whatever reason.

I think he's talked sense and carried through with what he's discussed, within the parameters of a manager and what he is able to reveal to the media.

I actually don't mind him!! I can see what he's trying to achieve... He just doesn't convince me yet, that he can manage the neccessary changes

He doesn't convince me either. Not convinced he can't yet either so I keep an open mind.

I don't think I'm a staunch defender of him.

I like what he plans. I like his pragmatism.

Carrying it through is incredibly hard. Most would fail with our situation and resources. Sam was a one off.

I hope Dougie can do well, but heck more chance he won't than he will.