Forum | Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! by OnlyHereForTheNiko

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Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! 19:42 - Feb 16 with 4140 views

Cannot believe how utterly deflated I'm feeling right now, after watching a team that I don't even support! Was really looking forward to the game & the chance to see the R's bounce back after the disappointment of Monday night.

From the start, it was awful. Some players were slow-footed. Some were slow of thought. Some were both! Reading scored. The R's equalised. For a while, I thought things would turn out right. But, Reading's two quick goals put paid to that.

Since the final whistle, I've looked at Twitter, Facebook & this forum. People are picking out players who they thought did well today. I honestly am struggling to do that. Traore was probably my pick of the bunch, but even he faded, as the game went on. Niko had a lousy day but, in his defence, for the past two games, he's been asked to play in a role that's not natural to him. He's not a defensive midfielder.

Now, here's where I get controversial. I've followed the story of Tony Mills on Twitter, over the past few days and, don't get me wrong, I think what the club have done for him is admirable. My question is ....... was it wise, on such an important match day, to be involving all the players in something that was so very emotional?

Players are strange animals - many of them are creatures of habit, who have routines, rituals and stupid things that they do, as part of their match preparation. It seems that today, the Mills family were even in the dressing room before the game - I saw a photo of them with several of the players.

Sadly, many of us probably know what it's like to spend time with someone who has terminal cancer. It's hard to find the right words to say to them or to empathise with how they must be feeling. Imagine how difficult it must have been for those physically fit young men to be confronted by this poor guy, hobbling around with a walking stick, knowing that he doesn't have long to live? Some will have dealt with it better than others. Some may have been genuinely emotionally upset at having to deal with all that before a game. It may have played on their minds.

Please don't think I'm being heartless. As I said, I think the club have been superb in taking the trouble to give Tony his 'Special Day'. I just wonder if it was wise to have involved the players to this degree, at a time when all their thoughts should have been on the game ahead of them. It might have been better for the club's media team to make a fuss of Tony, maybe with the help of players who were injured/not involved in the match and then, AFTER the game, he could have met the rest of them.

I'm not making excuses. I don't know what was responsible for today's performance. I just wonder if any of the players were affected by the high emotion of what went on before the game.

Your thoughts?

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 19:55 - Feb 16 with 4067 views

RangersAreBack

No, they were useless. Simples.

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 19:59 - Feb 16 with 4032 views

stansleftfoot

The bravery of Tony Mills in the face of his own impending death should inspire rather than deflate.

(No subject) (n/t) on 20:07 - Feb 16 with 4000 views

Rs_Holy

Well this is what QPR do... Over 35 years I've been supporting them and you simply cannot rely on them.... I've taken Arse fans to matches and they've been speachless at the shear ineptitude of some of the play...
Cockney red supporting work colleague couldnt understand how we gave Man City the title by conceding 2 goals in injury time.
The poor fella who is very very Ill probably turned up at today's game fully expecting a defeat....We even lost the last game on the season live on tv the year we went up as champions....It's what QPR do.... Don't ever , ever rely on them for anything as you will be disappointed ... I love my club but they are like a really troublesome teenage child most of the time...

[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 20:40]

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 20:14 - Feb 16 with 3936 views

Lblock

If you think 90% of modern day footballers would have any emotional response to anything other than their wages being paid slightly late then you are deluded

Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 20:27 - Feb 16 with 3885 views

Juzzie

Most of the players were poor. Hill just about the better as he had Probynek in his pocket all day in the air so Reading had to give it to him on the ground, then Probynek got so frustrated being second best he lashed out at Hill.

Niko did his best to get sent off, Barton was getting nothing from the ref as usual, the Lino on the Ellerslie Road side was useless, Doyle missed a sitter etc etc. it was 11 strangers out there.
I think Keane did ok though, it will be interesting to see if he features more.

As for emotions, I don't think they have any. We all played tribute before kick off to a fantastic player and person, how many like that are there today? He turned down a fortune to play in Italy to stay with PNE. He still got well paid but knew it wasn't all about they money. Footballers today is just about £££. Somehow, don't know how, but clubs have got to rally together to not keep giving out higher and higher salaries or they will kill the goose that laid the golden egg.
Problem is, there is so much at stake, they will do anything and pay anything to get the player they want resulting in hundreds of players being paid way way way more than their ability.

[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 20:37]

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 22:43 - Feb 16 with 3636 views

NgaiTahu_Hoop

Nah only "Here for the Niko" you aren't bein heartless and nice of you to offer up some excuse for the team but in all honestly I think they were just sh@t .

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 23:00 - Feb 16 with 3566 views

QPRDave

Fair question Onlyherefor and certainly does affect you if you meet people who are seriously ill or have been recently bereaved, i never know quite what to say.
But tbh i don't think our lot have a care as to what goes on in other lives....it's just a job and they're doing it badly

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 23:40 - Feb 16 with 3471 views

jonno

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 20:27 - Feb 16 by Juzzie

[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 20:37]

"He turned down a fortune to play in Italy to stay with PNE. He still got well paid but knew it wasn't all about they money."

Errr.....no he didn't get well paid. There was a maximum wage in those days which wasn't very much. In fact Tom Finney carried on his job as a plumber while he was playing football because he didn't make much from playing.

(No subject) (n/t) on 23:52 - Feb 16 with 3426 views

newgolddream

(No subject) (n/t) on 20:07 - Feb 16 by Rs_Holy

[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 20:40]

I love my club but they are like a really troublesome teenage child most of the time..

Absolutely, I'd say u speak for the majority.

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 23:58 - Feb 16 with 3413 views

OnlyHereForTheNiko

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 23:00 - Feb 16 by QPRDave
Fair question Onlyherefor and certainly does affect you if you meet people who are seriously ill or have been recently bereaved, i never know quite what to say. But tbh i don't think our lot have a care as to what goes on in other lives....it's just a job and they're doing it badly

I think that's a bit harsh, Dave, to say that the players don't care. Joey gave up his free time, to deliver tickets to Tony Mills' in Eastbourne, during the week. And you always see the players visiting sick children in the local hospitals, at Christmastime. A lot of them do their charity work quietly too.

But, like you said, people never know what to say when confronted by something like terminal illness. And even wealthy footballers must feel some emotion, when they see a man, about the same age as their own fathers, facing the end of his life. That's why I question the decision to involve the squad BEFORE the game, in something that could've potentially messed with their heads, at a time when they needed to be mentally right for the match.

[Post edited 16 Feb 2014 23:59]

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 00:18 - Feb 17 with 3353 views

OnlyHereForTheNiko

And to the person/people who insist on clicking on the down arrow underneath everything I post, grow up, you tw*ts!

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 00:50 - Feb 17 with 3322 views

SonofNorfolt

Surely Nico only plays behind the forwards or not at all? Adkins realised this, but our supremo didn't seem to? Shaun Derry said as much, and I believe that he was honestly upset with our defeat, judging by his post match analysis.

Don't shoot me - I'm just putting this out there for discussion! on 06:12 - Feb 17 with 3245 views

RangersAreBack

I'm more concerned about what effect the team's performances have on Tony's spirits.

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