| At least Walker gets it 19:43 - Nov 14 with 1455 views | Leadbelly |
Sam Walker quoted in the press today:
"That was rubbish really"
"We have big issues now"
"Something has got to change, and very quickly"
"It's not been right for two months now"
Agree 100%. |  |
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| At least Walker gets it on 20:08 - Nov 14 with 1450 views | wessex_exile |
That's fair enough, and I sincerely hope that as they are all professional footballers, that Sam is just saying what the rest are feeling, thinking or indeed saying in the dressing room and on the training pitch. I haven't seen the actual article, but as quotes out of context they are all simple factual statements - it was rubbish, our big issue is being one place off relegation, and that situation really does have to change quickly. The really interesting comment is the last one, and why have things not been right for two months now?
Question is, what isn't right? Is it the manager and/or the backroom team, team relationships, the attitude and commitment of the players, the tactics, the formation, the chairman, or is the squad simply not good enough?
I don't know the answer, as I suspect it's a combination of several/ all of the above. If I had to choose, I certainly don't think it's down to the chairman (because I don't think he has that much day-to-day influence on proceedings), and I don't think the squad isn't good enough to compete, but I do genuinely believe either McGreal isn't good enough to manage them (e.g. tactically naive, poor squad selection at times, unable to send the team out with fire in their bellies etc.), or he is but we just don't have a real leader in the squad who can take McGreal's pre-match set-up and turn it into the proverbial 110% on the pitch from the squad. In short, the squad don't seem to care... |  |
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| At least Walker gets it on 21:01 - Nov 14 with 1440 views | Leadbelly |
| At least Walker gets it on 20:08 - Nov 14 by wessex_exile |
That's fair enough, and I sincerely hope that as they are all professional footballers, that Sam is just saying what the rest are feeling, thinking or indeed saying in the dressing room and on the training pitch. I haven't seen the actual article, but as quotes out of context they are all simple factual statements - it was rubbish, our big issue is being one place off relegation, and that situation really does have to change quickly. The really interesting comment is the last one, and why have things not been right for two months now?
Question is, what isn't right? Is it the manager and/or the backroom team, team relationships, the attitude and commitment of the players, the tactics, the formation, the chairman, or is the squad simply not good enough?
I don't know the answer, as I suspect it's a combination of several/ all of the above. If I had to choose, I certainly don't think it's down to the chairman (because I don't think he has that much day-to-day influence on proceedings), and I don't think the squad isn't good enough to compete, but I do genuinely believe either McGreal isn't good enough to manage them (e.g. tactically naive, poor squad selection at times, unable to send the team out with fire in their bellies etc.), or he is but we just don't have a real leader in the squad who can take McGreal's pre-match set-up and turn it into the proverbial 110% on the pitch from the squad. In short, the squad don't seem to care... |
I too suspect it is a combination of things.
On Saturday I would say we produced a performance as bad as, possibly worse than, anything we saw last season. The individual errors were there again (Kamara's pass for the opener) which we could put down just to the players but there was also an obvious lack of shape, players not match fit, an apparent lack of understanding of what was required of the players, little movement off the ball and, most frustrating of all, a lack of effort. Orient won almost every 50/50 ball. Walker had more saves to make even though we had more shots, partly because many of ours were off target but also because Orient defenders looked a lot more determined to block them, which they did.
If Cowling is dictating how we play (I'm not convinced he is) then he needs to stop. More likely it is the interference of our DoF that is an issue but, again, who knows?
There is a major problem with attitude. That has to be due to the management and coaching. I can accept defeats, I would accept relegation if it happened, but only if I felt that we had been neaten after doing the best we could. At the moment we are beating ourselves.
If this is the best we can do then the chairman must take a long, hard look at the entire set up and ask, again, what he can do better to improve matters. [Post edited 14 Nov 2016 21:34]
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| At least Walker gets it on 23:32 - Nov 14 with 1417 views | mfb_cufc |
I think all the problems with the club are totally to do with Cowling. It his philosophy where he wants all the clubs teams to play the same way, a 4-5-1 passing game. His reasoning is that when players move up through the age groups, and then finally onto the first team, they will be familiar with the role they have to play. In theory a good idea, but the last five seasons prove this philosophy is not working. He has also stated that any new manager will be appointed internally. Again a good idea if the first team is successful, something that Liverpool did so well years ago. But again this philosophy is not working. The only way things are going to change is for Cowling to admit he was wrong, or for him to go. Neither are likely to happen. One thing is for sure we can't carry on with the status quo. As Einstein said: Insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result. |  |
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| At least Walker gets it on 08:38 - Nov 16 with 1317 views | wessex_exile |
| At least Walker gets it on 23:32 - Nov 14 by mfb_cufc |
I think all the problems with the club are totally to do with Cowling. It his philosophy where he wants all the clubs teams to play the same way, a 4-5-1 passing game. His reasoning is that when players move up through the age groups, and then finally onto the first team, they will be familiar with the role they have to play. In theory a good idea, but the last five seasons prove this philosophy is not working. He has also stated that any new manager will be appointed internally. Again a good idea if the first team is successful, something that Liverpool did so well years ago. But again this philosophy is not working. The only way things are going to change is for Cowling to admit he was wrong, or for him to go. Neither are likely to happen. One thing is for sure we can't carry on with the status quo. As Einstein said: Insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result. |
Morning MFB - I understand you have your own issues with Robbie Cowling, but I cannot believe for a moment that he imposes a mandatory 4-5-1 formation on each and every manager we've had! I agree that I'm sure his choice of appointment for the most part has included consideration of the anticipated style of play the applicant proposes, and thus choosing managers that aspire to a fluid passing game (no bad thing to be honest)...obviously Hoofroyd aside. It may not have worked too well, but there is nothing inherently wrong with appointing internally either - the potential benefits (a manager who knows the squad, the set-up, the internal procedures, lives locally already, cost savings etc.) are obvious to anyone. If the only way you believe things will change is for Robbie to admit the above is wrong (technically it isn't, regardless of our current situation) or leave (god help us if he does), then I guess you have no hope that things will change? | |
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| At least Walker gets it on 20:50 - Nov 16 with 1254 views | bwildered |
The academy setup in is in place thanks to the Chairman's vision . However this is not a recipe for success unless the correct people are in the right posts, this includes the first team post position .
Player recruitment is also vital at all stages of development, and success can only be judged by first team personal performance and include confidence and character to performance under pressure .
Clearly something is wrong internally with Keen and Wright both leaving their positions recently . Not convinced that the first team position has to be filled by a internal appointment, and at present seems to be a lucky dip scenario.
Confidence and character are vital for us to progress up the table at this time, perhaps a experience manager in first eleven duties is best placed to turn these situations around rather than those with academy background only . |  |
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| At least Walker gets it on 22:32 - Nov 16 with 1244 views | Leadbelly |
However good the academy may be it achieves very little if its products move into a first XI that is continually doing badly. Academy alumni playing well in a first XI playing well will be far more attractive to other clubs than seems likely as things stand.
What does playing 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 throughout the club do to fulfill the chairman's vision/philosophy? It certainly hasn't led to a successful first XI packed academy players. Surely it would be preferable to have the academy teams adopting a Colchester United version of total football, producing versatile players who could play in whatever system an externally appointed manager may prefer...and which may be more popular amongst clubs looking at our young players. | |
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| At least Walker gets it on 23:32 - Nov 16 with 1234 views | mfb_cufc |
| At least Walker gets it on 08:38 - Nov 16 by wessex_exile |
Morning MFB - I understand you have your own issues with Robbie Cowling, but I cannot believe for a moment that he imposes a mandatory 4-5-1 formation on each and every manager we've had! I agree that I'm sure his choice of appointment for the most part has included consideration of the anticipated style of play the applicant proposes, and thus choosing managers that aspire to a fluid passing game (no bad thing to be honest)...obviously Hoofroyd aside. It may not have worked too well, but there is nothing inherently wrong with appointing internally either - the potential benefits (a manager who knows the squad, the set-up, the internal procedures, lives locally already, cost savings etc.) are obvious to anyone. If the only way you believe things will change is for Robbie to admit the above is wrong (technically it isn't, regardless of our current situation) or leave (god help us if he does), then I guess you have no hope that things will change? |
Good evening Wessex - Cowling said he wanted all the clubs teams to play the same way, at the time John Ward was manager. The fact that he played 4-5-1, and every manager/coach has since, suggest that either Cowling wants the team to play that way, or all the managers think that is the way to implement how he wants the team to play. Whatever, I don't agree with an owner dictating how his team plays, especially one that has no experience of coaching. Also clubs don't need to send scouts to our games, because they know exactly what our tactics are. To say he chose managers that aspire to a fluid passing game is nonsense, when all he has done is select the next internal puppet. I agree there is nothing wrong with appointing internally, if you want to keep something good going, but not when you struggle season after season. The philosophy of bringing the youngsters through, is not working either. Players have to be in the team on merit, not part of a long term plan to flood the first team with academy players. I think you will find there are many fans who agree with me. I can't believe you are happy with the way the club is being run at the moment. I would be interested to know your views on why the club is in a terminal decline. | |
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| At least Walker gets it on 23:43 - Nov 16 with 1233 views | mfb_cufc |
| At least Walker gets it on 22:32 - Nov 16 by Leadbelly |
However good the academy may be it achieves very little if its products move into a first XI that is continually doing badly. Academy alumni playing well in a first XI playing well will be far more attractive to other clubs than seems likely as things stand.
What does playing 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 throughout the club do to fulfill the chairman's vision/philosophy? It certainly hasn't led to a successful first XI packed academy players. Surely it would be preferable to have the academy teams adopting a Colchester United version of total football, producing versatile players who could play in whatever system an externally appointed manager may prefer...and which may be more popular amongst clubs looking at our young players. |
I hadn't read this post before posting mine, but I totally agree. | |
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| At least Walker gets it on 22:03 - Nov 18 with 1179 views | wessex_exile |
| At least Walker gets it on 23:32 - Nov 16 by mfb_cufc |
Good evening Wessex - Cowling said he wanted all the clubs teams to play the same way, at the time John Ward was manager. The fact that he played 4-5-1, and every manager/coach has since, suggest that either Cowling wants the team to play that way, or all the managers think that is the way to implement how he wants the team to play. Whatever, I don't agree with an owner dictating how his team plays, especially one that has no experience of coaching. Also clubs don't need to send scouts to our games, because they know exactly what our tactics are. To say he chose managers that aspire to a fluid passing game is nonsense, when all he has done is select the next internal puppet. I agree there is nothing wrong with appointing internally, if you want to keep something good going, but not when you struggle season after season. The philosophy of bringing the youngsters through, is not working either. Players have to be in the team on merit, not part of a long term plan to flood the first team with academy players. I think you will find there are many fans who agree with me. I can't believe you are happy with the way the club is being run at the moment. I would be interested to know your views on why the club is in a terminal decline. |
Unlike other more learned posters on here (including yourself - honestly) I'm no footballing genius. I can't look at the way a team is arranged on a pitch and immediately see "we should be playing [random formation of choice]" or "Joe Bloggs should be deeper", or indeed "pressing on" or any of that. I know good football when I see it, and I can see where there are weaknesses when it shows, but the answer to why we haven't been doing very well is simple to me - we're just not good enough...
...or, to be more precise, maybe we are good enough, we're just not as good as we actually think we should be?
Why we're not good enough? Take your pick to be honest - lack of playing talent, lack of playing experience, lack of on-field leaders, a succession of ill-timed injuries, bad luck, poor officiating, the backroom set-up, too much focus on youth, poor manager(s), interfering chairman, lack of funds, lack of support, no atmosphere, overly-complicated pricing structure (and over-priced tickets), crap burgers, no club bar, inadequate stewarding, shite parking - and the list goes on.
All of these, and more, have been grist to the mill for those of us who believe we see the problem and know how to fix it.
But actually, it isn't any one of these - it may (or may not) be a combination of some, all or none, and we take our pick which depending on personal opinions - but it simply boils down to right now, here, on 18th November 2016, we're simply not good enough.
I believe, because that's what has kept me a supporter of the same lower league football side for the entirety of my life, that we'll work it out, we'll come good, and we will eventually succeed (other options are of course available). In the meantime, I believe just as fervently that the investment that Robbie Cowling has made has 'future-proofed' Colchester United for many years to come.
Given we have all lived through times when the existence of CUFC hung by a thread, and seen many other clubs fold and disappear during that, I for one am grateful of that. [Post edited 18 Nov 2016 22:16]
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| At least Walker gets it on 17:52 - Nov 19 with 1139 views | Moor_Pinot |
Thank you for the balance and unemotive honesty Wessex. Being a long way away it's a real help. Realism is.
Not being good enough - all the debating over this and that and why notwithstanding - is indeed the bottom line.
I don't attribute blame because I am too remote to be able to analyse but the continual decline is indicative of some central theme or other resulting in our football club's predicament.
So, another defeat and yet again goals at the very end, something which I think you'll find has been a feature of defeats in the last 4 or 5 seasons. Nobody's learning or if they are nobody's teaching or if they are nobody's listening.
I remember a long time ago we were staring at just what we are staring at now whether anyone likes to deny it or not. The R word.......again.
That was when we dipped into non league and made an intelligently analytical appointment bringing Jim Smith from Boston. We had the chance to do this again when all was lost back in April. Many people on this board were crying for the Cowley brothers. They had Colchester's resurgence written all over 'em. That route wasn't taken so we have another novice manager. Poor chap. Lincoln City have benefitted....and how. Fact.
That's history already and we're in National League territory now.
I offer no solutions because I am not able to see any. But I do see that there is a pattern of decline which appears to be a tolerated decline.
As you say Wessex, leagues don't lie, our performances over the last 5 years are real. The decline is actual and thus we cannot be good enough.
Not good enough at all.
It may be heartwarming for some to read that we played really well at Donny and at Plymouth etc etc etc and I don't doubt we did, but it is no actual comfort because better teams play well and win or defend leads in the last five minutes.
So, I wonder what lies ahead. Like you, I believe in our resurgence because I have seen it before [back to Jim Smith!] and am certain we will climb the league.
But there's an ugly little doubt creeping in that never used to bug me.
There's something not right at all and as has been said, it's not been right for a pretty long time. OK, so it happens to football clubs, then they right themselves - but they don't always. Look at Stockport - they get more people through the gate than we do, we used to play them, they were in the Championship recently too; but don't try looking for them in our league any more and no, they're not in the league below either.
I don't want to play Truro and Concord Rangers, Hemel Hempstead etc and I want the people at Colchester United to know that and seriously ask one another what to do about it.
I don't know, neither do you Wessex - but there must be people in Colchester who do.
The Beaujolais Nouveau is the equivalent of £1.37 a bottle here and I'm going to use its temporary qualities for the time being..........................
UP the U's. |  |
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| At least Walker gets it on 00:48 - Nov 20 with 1085 views | mfb_cufc |
It was Jim Smith who got us promoted in the 1972-3 season, after we had applied for re-election the previous season. It was red Roy McDonaugh who was the manager who got us back into the Football League.
I don't think it is alright just to say we are not good enough. At the start of the season no fan was saying this squad is so useless, that we will be fighting relegation. So the fact we are, in my opinion, is totally to do with the management of the team. We all know Cowling never wanted to sack Humes, so how much influence as he got in churning out this rubbish. In fact reinstating Humes as DOF was another one of Cowling's total disregard of fans feelings.
Newport and Mansfield have made the decision to bring in managers, who many may not like, but they will make sure those teams don't get relegated. We need to do the same, but we know with this owner, it is just not going to happen. | |
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| At least Walker gets it on 09:13 - Nov 21 with 1003 views | AFCMorant |
| At least Walker gets it on 17:52 - Nov 19 by Moor_Pinot |
Thank you for the balance and unemotive honesty Wessex. Being a long way away it's a real help. Realism is.
Not being good enough - all the debating over this and that and why notwithstanding - is indeed the bottom line.
I don't attribute blame because I am too remote to be able to analyse but the continual decline is indicative of some central theme or other resulting in our football club's predicament.
So, another defeat and yet again goals at the very end, something which I think you'll find has been a feature of defeats in the last 4 or 5 seasons. Nobody's learning or if they are nobody's teaching or if they are nobody's listening.
I remember a long time ago we were staring at just what we are staring at now whether anyone likes to deny it or not. The R word.......again.
That was when we dipped into non league and made an intelligently analytical appointment bringing Jim Smith from Boston. We had the chance to do this again when all was lost back in April. Many people on this board were crying for the Cowley brothers. They had Colchester's resurgence written all over 'em. That route wasn't taken so we have another novice manager. Poor chap. Lincoln City have benefitted....and how. Fact.
That's history already and we're in National League territory now.
I offer no solutions because I am not able to see any. But I do see that there is a pattern of decline which appears to be a tolerated decline.
As you say Wessex, leagues don't lie, our performances over the last 5 years are real. The decline is actual and thus we cannot be good enough.
Not good enough at all.
It may be heartwarming for some to read that we played really well at Donny and at Plymouth etc etc etc and I don't doubt we did, but it is no actual comfort because better teams play well and win or defend leads in the last five minutes.
So, I wonder what lies ahead. Like you, I believe in our resurgence because I have seen it before [back to Jim Smith!] and am certain we will climb the league.
But there's an ugly little doubt creeping in that never used to bug me.
There's something not right at all and as has been said, it's not been right for a pretty long time. OK, so it happens to football clubs, then they right themselves - but they don't always. Look at Stockport - they get more people through the gate than we do, we used to play them, they were in the Championship recently too; but don't try looking for them in our league any more and no, they're not in the league below either.
I don't want to play Truro and Concord Rangers, Hemel Hempstead etc and I want the people at Colchester United to know that and seriously ask one another what to do about it.
I don't know, neither do you Wessex - but there must be people in Colchester who do.
The Beaujolais Nouveau is the equivalent of £1.37 a bottle here and I'm going to use its temporary qualities for the time being..........................
UP the U's. |
I'm afraid we are in terminal decline as long as Cowling stubbornly continues with internal appointments, who next the under 15's coach?
In my view we have a good bunch of players more than capable of remaining in this division, they are let down by an inexperienced manager who's been found out by opposition managers. Unless we get in a hard experienced manager of the type of Westley or Martin Allen then we will be playing Hemel Hempstead, but at least I can walk to the away fixture;-) |  | | |
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