Duff all 12:13 - Jul 23 with 6598 views | cadleigh | There's an increasing amount of posters talking about 'Duffball'. Interestingly, most of them seem to be die-hard supporters of Russell Martin, trying to spin a narrative that Duff (a) has only one style of football and (b) it's a reversion to the Monk/Cooper style of football (what we might call the Roundhead approach, as opposed to the Cavalier style of Martinez/Laudrup/Potter and (supposedly) Martin). I actually think it was fair to describe Martin's approach as 'Martinball' as the man himself said that there would only be one way of playing under his watch, and that was the way Man City play under Guardiola. Trying to pigeonhole Duff on the strength of one friendly is, IMO, just a lame attempt to undermine confidence in him before the season has even begun. Good managers adapt their tactics and strategy according to the strengths of the players in their squad and the opposition they face - between and during games. That's not Duffball, it's Football. PS Apologies for uploading this without any content the first time!
This post has been edited by an administrator | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 12:25 - Jul 23 with 4017 views | KeithHaynes | I haven’t read a comment along those lines, possibly elsewhere ? | ![](/images/avatars/27565.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 12:26 - Jul 23 with 4012 views | Fireboy2 |
Duff all on 12:25 - Jul 23 by KeithHaynes | I haven’t read a comment along those lines, possibly elsewhere ? |
Nor me | ![](/images/avatars/22251.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 12:38 - Jul 23 with 3960 views | onehunglow | Right now,as at the start of a new campaign,we hope for the best. That means excitement and foreboding in tandem. A lethal cocktail | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 12:54 - Jul 23 with 3928 views | BryanSwan | I think some of our fans need a reminder that friendlies count for nothing. Lets see where we are at christmas. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 12:59 - Jul 23 with 3916 views | cadleigh |
Duff all on 12:25 - Jul 23 by KeithHaynes | I haven’t read a comment along those lines, possibly elsewhere ? |
Precisely. Not going to give the oxygen of publicity to the forums/channels where this is going on but I'm glad to see it hasn't spread here yet. I like what you did with the title of this thread, by the way. Looking back I can see that my original one could have been misconstrued... | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 13:04 - Jul 23 with 3909 views | magicdaps10 | Both parties are working a narrative......unfortunately the same thing happened with Martin after Cooper left, it was a defense mechanism of those people who took it personally to those who had a go at Cooper! Those people were just doing the same thing as those people who were having a go at Cooper.........but there again people don't like to be told or hear what they don't want too. | ![](/images/avatars/11389.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 13:39 - Jul 23 with 3827 views | cadleigh |
Duff all on 13:04 - Jul 23 by magicdaps10 | Both parties are working a narrative......unfortunately the same thing happened with Martin after Cooper left, it was a defense mechanism of those people who took it personally to those who had a go at Cooper! Those people were just doing the same thing as those people who were having a go at Cooper.........but there again people don't like to be told or hear what they don't want too. |
Agree with a lot of what you said there but I don't think there's a passionate pro-Duff camp at the moment - just a lot of optimistic supporters who are happy to get behind the new manager and (refreshingly) a new positivity about the direction that the club is taking under the new-look leadership. Let's hope we can draw a line under the partisan arguements we saw under the last two managers and judge Duff one game at a time for what he is rather than who he isn't. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 13:54 - Jul 23 with 3797 views | JackDragon | This thread is the first time that I have seen mention of "Duffball" STID | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) | Login to get fewer ads
Duff all on 13:55 - Jul 23 with 3791 views | onehunglow |
Duff all on 13:39 - Jul 23 by cadleigh | Agree with a lot of what you said there but I don't think there's a passionate pro-Duff camp at the moment - just a lot of optimistic supporters who are happy to get behind the new manager and (refreshingly) a new positivity about the direction that the club is taking under the new-look leadership. Let's hope we can draw a line under the partisan arguements we saw under the last two managers and judge Duff one game at a time for what he is rather than who he isn't. |
Dead right. He doesn’t seem to have the “ charisma” or the mouth but the next few weeks we will see. For me, it’s all about the No 1 position. When we get that right,things flow as the team ,as a unit,will have confidence their efforts won’t be ruined . | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 14:03 - Jul 23 with 3770 views | KeithHaynes |
Duff all on 13:39 - Jul 23 by cadleigh | Agree with a lot of what you said there but I don't think there's a passionate pro-Duff camp at the moment - just a lot of optimistic supporters who are happy to get behind the new manager and (refreshingly) a new positivity about the direction that the club is taking under the new-look leadership. Let's hope we can draw a line under the partisan arguements we saw under the last two managers and judge Duff one game at a time for what he is rather than who he isn't. |
He’s unproven at this level to return to quotes of old. | ![](/images/avatars/27565.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 14:14 - Jul 23 with 3733 views | Dr_Winston | As far as I can tell there's only a couple of people on Twitter who are mostly doing their best to rile people up against Duff because they're still butthurt over Martin, and possibly also because they still want "Matty" to be the fulcrum of everything that we do. | ![](/images/avatars/8802.gif) |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 14:15 - Jul 23 with 3738 views | Badlands | I'll hold my hand up to the hoof ball (notDuff ball) camp and few at Oxford would disagree. But I was also in the Martin isn’t doing the do camp. Our style towards the end of Martin's time had adapted slightly and player were far easier in their positions. I was happy with what Martin was trying to do and for the most part the style. Contrary to popular belief we gave away very few goals when rrrsing about in defence (plenty of scares though) and I could see the reasoning behind square passing to keep possession until spaces were engineered ahead of the defence. What we saw at Oxford was players, very familiar with each other, looking like total strangers, players encouraged to hoof the ball up field to no real effect (which players do we have who will compete for and win a long ball in the air or on the ground?). As with Martin and Cooper when we get in that lump the ball out of defence mode all that happens os we gift possession and have to deal with another wave of attacks. Interestingly, much of the talk I overheard at the Carmarthen game echoed my interpretation of the Oxford performance. But, that could all be explained by a relentless drive to increase fitness levels … players leaving their match sharpness in the training pitch. Monk did that and ended up with players who could run marathons but not pass accurately. | ![](/images/avatars/23858.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 14:50 - Jul 23 with 3656 views | cadleigh |
Duff all on 14:15 - Jul 23 by Badlands | I'll hold my hand up to the hoof ball (notDuff ball) camp and few at Oxford would disagree. But I was also in the Martin isn’t doing the do camp. Our style towards the end of Martin's time had adapted slightly and player were far easier in their positions. I was happy with what Martin was trying to do and for the most part the style. Contrary to popular belief we gave away very few goals when rrrsing about in defence (plenty of scares though) and I could see the reasoning behind square passing to keep possession until spaces were engineered ahead of the defence. What we saw at Oxford was players, very familiar with each other, looking like total strangers, players encouraged to hoof the ball up field to no real effect (which players do we have who will compete for and win a long ball in the air or on the ground?). As with Martin and Cooper when we get in that lump the ball out of defence mode all that happens os we gift possession and have to deal with another wave of attacks. Interestingly, much of the talk I overheard at the Carmarthen game echoed my interpretation of the Oxford performance. But, that could all be explained by a relentless drive to increase fitness levels … players leaving their match sharpness in the training pitch. Monk did that and ended up with players who could run marathons but not pass accurately. |
Can't say I paid much attention to Barnsley when Duff was managing them but the impression I have got from reading what others posted about their play-offs campaign is that Duff definitely did not have them playing hoofball, so let's hope that Woods' long balls at Oxford were just a rush of blood to the head and not a deliberate tactic. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 18:59 - Jul 23 with 3422 views | pencoedjack |
Duff all on 13:39 - Jul 23 by cadleigh | Agree with a lot of what you said there but I don't think there's a passionate pro-Duff camp at the moment - just a lot of optimistic supporters who are happy to get behind the new manager and (refreshingly) a new positivity about the direction that the club is taking under the new-look leadership. Let's hope we can draw a line under the partisan arguements we saw under the last two managers and judge Duff one game at a time for what he is rather than who he isn't. |
I’d imagine quite a few of the pro Martin fans are eagerly awaiting Duff to fail. | ![](/images/avatars/9450.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 19:01 - Jul 23 with 3412 views | onehunglow |
Duff all on 18:59 - Jul 23 by pencoedjack | I’d imagine quite a few of the pro Martin fans are eagerly awaiting Duff to fail. |
Not sure I agree If Duffers delivers HE will be a blip on our club,which he always was . | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 19:09 - Jul 23 with 3394 views | Whiterockin |
Duff all on 18:59 - Jul 23 by pencoedjack | I’d imagine quite a few of the pro Martin fans are eagerly awaiting Duff to fail. |
I never want any of our managers to fail. Why would I? | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 19:13 - Jul 23 with 3369 views | onehunglow |
Duff all on 19:09 - Jul 23 by Whiterockin | I never want any of our managers to fail. Why would I? |
Few like to be seen wrong ,even on a fans forum. Those who deny that kid themselves . It’s why we see disingenuous superfan crap. We are all fans.We all love this bluddy club .That should be enough . Nothing wrong with never being satisfied or being negative either . It’s because we look to or should do the best possible . If Martin fails,it won’t affect us If Duff fails,it does . That s all that matters Harming back just perpetuates hate and disharmony | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 19:16 - Jul 23 with 3365 views | glanmORJa_k | Duff impressed many fans with the way he orchestrated his players through the Play Offs playing a brand of football that was nowhere near kicking the ball from back to front, but a terrier like team that could defend, make no stupid mistakes when the ball was passed between keeper and defender, competed at the breakdown and counter attacked with pace on either flank. There were no players like Grimes in their team, who on his day could pass a ball through the eye of a needle but less flamboyant midfielders in Herbie Kane stood out as a midfield grafter who could mix it and pass it on to a team mate while former Forest Green wide man Cadden knew what he had to do when they didn't have the ball and that is track back. Duff doesn't communicate like the 'charmer' Martin but the 'devil in the detail' is the backing he expects to receive from the boardroom. They will be carefully scrutinised as the weeks progress. All three players linked regarding new signings wont be back in the UK until 7 days time, not exactly perfect timing, but no doubts they are all above the quality that saw us sign Finley Burns, Okoflex, Stevens and Cundle in recent windows. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 19:38 - Jul 23 with 3329 views | Whiterockin |
Duff all on 19:13 - Jul 23 by onehunglow | Few like to be seen wrong ,even on a fans forum. Those who deny that kid themselves . It’s why we see disingenuous superfan crap. We are all fans.We all love this bluddy club .That should be enough . Nothing wrong with never being satisfied or being negative either . It’s because we look to or should do the best possible . If Martin fails,it won’t affect us If Duff fails,it does . That s all that matters Harming back just perpetuates hate and disharmony |
How are you likely to be seen as wrong if you support every manager we have. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 20:21 - Jul 23 with 3241 views | onehunglow |
Duff all on 19:38 - Jul 23 by Whiterockin | How are you likely to be seen as wrong if you support every manager we have. |
Rather odd a question. I will have to think on that | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 20:23 - Jul 23 with 3240 views | onehunglow |
Duff all on 20:21 - Jul 23 by onehunglow | Rather odd a question. I will have to think on that |
Managers shouldn’t be supported per se. It’s their work that defines them. Do you believe all should be supported | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 20:41 - Jul 23 with 3208 views | Whiterockin |
Duff all on 20:23 - Jul 23 by onehunglow | Managers shouldn’t be supported per se. It’s their work that defines them. Do you believe all should be supported |
Yes as long as they are our manager they should be supported. Why would anyone not want to support our team and everyone associated with it. The only manager I didn't support was Bradley and that is because IMO he was not brought in for footballing reasons, the owners were belittling our club with the appointment and the way they did it. | ![](/images/avatars/9155.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 21:13 - Jul 23 with 3139 views | onehunglow | And to think the season hasn’t even started yet | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
| ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Duff all on 22:54 - Jul 23 with 3025 views | ModeratorD |
Duff all on 20:41 - Jul 23 by Whiterockin | Yes as long as they are our manager they should be supported. Why would anyone not want to support our team and everyone associated with it. The only manager I didn't support was Bradley and that is because IMO he was not brought in for footballing reasons, the owners were belittling our club with the appointment and the way they did it. |
Must say WR I totally agree with you. Get behind the manager, staff and players, then get behind whoever comes next. As you say Bradley was the exception that proves the rule. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
| |