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Excellent interview and I'm crossing everything that it works out for GA .
I'm still on a massive downer with Rangers but looking forward to it hopefully being like it was under Olly and the fans in the ground have a massive part to play in getting behind the team .
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 19:32 - Jul 21 with 3276 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 19:32 - Jul 21 by Northernr
The question was coming up anyway but I started tallying them at the top of the page because he said it so often.
Good interview Clive and well worth the listen. This kinda stuck with me also how much he was at pains to protect the players. You tried your best to push him and call them out but he stuck to his guns. I don't see the reason why he doesn't call out the players that need calling out. I know he has to work with a lot of them and may have no choice but to protect them but I cannot see Warnock going to those lengths and that worries me a little.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:16 - Jul 21 with 3147 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:06 - Jul 21 by sprocket
Good interview Clive and well worth the listen. This kinda stuck with me also how much he was at pains to protect the players. You tried your best to push him and call them out but he stuck to his guns. I don't see the reason why he doesn't call out the players that need calling out. I know he has to work with a lot of them and may have no choice but to protect them but I cannot see Warnock going to those lengths and that worries me a little.
It's only what's he saying in public . I'm sure he's completely different behind closed doors
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:28 - Jul 21 with 3104 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:06 - Jul 21 by sprocket
Good interview Clive and well worth the listen. This kinda stuck with me also how much he was at pains to protect the players. You tried your best to push him and call them out but he stuck to his guns. I don't see the reason why he doesn't call out the players that need calling out. I know he has to work with a lot of them and may have no choice but to protect them but I cannot see Warnock going to those lengths and that worries me a little.
Because players talk across clubs and they pay attention to managers who throw players under the bus. He didn’t call any out to not put off potential signings.
Found his comments about the style at the end of the season interesting. Very clear that the team couldn’t play the style he wants to play. Weren’t fit enough, not energetic enough, not ready for it, so had to play this “ridiculous Catenaccio approach”. I expect us to play a 433/451 high press, only play in the oppo’s half.
As I suspected. Also, later on speaks his mind on the concept of loan players. Not a fan. Neither am I. Telling about last year…
Final comment, it’s incredibly honest from him. You only have to read a little between the lines to know he thinks the players last year were unfit, didn’t know what giving 100% really was, and there were issues in the dressing room.
He seems confident he’s improved this already this pre-season. It’ll be interesting to see whether this is the case on the pitch.
He did say “expect an out or outs, and I knew about that when I came.” I think that’s Willock and Chair.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:31 - Jul 21 with 3091 views
I think it quite refreshing actually that as a manager he's so willing to take accountability for the results that come, and he talks about that as part of why he wants to "protect his boys" so much.
They win - they get the plaudits. They lose - he'll take the rap so to protect them and not destroy their confidence. How many times do we laugh at managers where seemingly nothing is ever their fault? Dean Smith and his Justice League for instance!
Not that I came on here at the time (and I don’t do Twitter etc.) but I thought the Hakka session looked awful and was awful. Should I perhaps be writing to Gareth about this.
Overall I came away more enthused than perturbed, I hope the club gives him a decent crack at what will be a challenging season. And we as fans need to play our part. I think it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Thanks as always to Clive for this, I think GA likes you more than MW did!
Is it just me or is the audio quiet, particularly Clive’s questions?
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:40 - Jul 21 with 3014 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:31 - Jul 21 by slmrstid
I think it quite refreshing actually that as a manager he's so willing to take accountability for the results that come, and he talks about that as part of why he wants to "protect his boys" so much.
They win - they get the plaudits. They lose - he'll take the rap so to protect them and not destroy their confidence. How many times do we laugh at managers where seemingly nothing is ever their fault? Dean Smith and his Justice League for instance!
Or Phil Brown on the pitch and various old school managers.
Almost all the great managers make it about them when things go wrong and the players when things go right.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:42 - Jul 21 with 3007 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:42 - Jul 21 by vanrrrr
ditto ..
great listen thank you ! I read the transcript first and the listen gave so much more context to his responses.
For me, came across a bit Naïve sometimes, I hope it does not burn him and us.
I’ve read this naive comment a few times. I don’t think that’s the case at all. I think things were a hell of a lot worse behind the scenes than people think and it had been building for 18 months. We all know the FFP constraints this year. I think he’s simply managing expectations. And he’s also focusing on the inputs (culture, work rate, etc) more than the outputs (where we finish). This is entirely right. If you look after the input the output looks after itself.
There is a lot about his words and actions that are straight out of leadership books. I don’t think he’s naive at all.
I think he is realistic (and honest) about the situation. I think some fans are maybe the ones who are being a little naive about the situation. We didn’t just a bad spell last year. We’ve been sh*t for 18 months with major dressing rooms issues for over 18 months. This isn’t a quick or easy fix, especially with such financial constraints.
Whatever you think, Ainsworth deserves our support. Everything he does will be in QPR’s best interest.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 21:18 - Jul 21 with 2889 views
If the sharks are circling and there’s blood in the water, no amount of ‘we’ll out-swim them’ is going to make it happen.
I get that he’s not going shuffle around Heston looking at the floor shouting ‘this is shit’, but equally, blind optimism can be just as dangerous as pessimism. I think it’s 9 players who’ve gone, and 3 in since last season, s season that we survived by the skin of our teeth. No matter what you think of those that left, we, literally, can’t hang 6 shirts on hangers and hang them on the crossbar. We’re woefully short of bodies, and even shorter on quality. It sounds like Illy might be on his way, if not him, one of the better players that we can actually command a fee for, so that weakens us further. I suspect that’s why it’s been relatively slow so far, despite the situation. Maybe he’s got some real aces up his sleeve and he can bring 4 or 5 in for 1 out but, if not, I just can’t see how making the 7 or 8 Championship quality players we’ve got left, fitter, and tighter as a group, is going to compensate and get us to even where we were last season.
Who knows, maybe whilst we’re fixating on our problems, there are other clubs (Sheff Weds?) whose issues are just as big as ours and it really is, this year more than any other, ‘find 3 worse and we got through this in one piece’
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 21:18 - Jul 21 by DejR_vu
You can’t but love him can you?
If the sharks are circling and there’s blood in the water, no amount of ‘we’ll out-swim them’ is going to make it happen.
I get that he’s not going shuffle around Heston looking at the floor shouting ‘this is shit’, but equally, blind optimism can be just as dangerous as pessimism. I think it’s 9 players who’ve gone, and 3 in since last season, s season that we survived by the skin of our teeth. No matter what you think of those that left, we, literally, can’t hang 6 shirts on hangers and hang them on the crossbar. We’re woefully short of bodies, and even shorter on quality. It sounds like Illy might be on his way, if not him, one of the better players that we can actually command a fee for, so that weakens us further. I suspect that’s why it’s been relatively slow so far, despite the situation. Maybe he’s got some real aces up his sleeve and he can bring 4 or 5 in for 1 out but, if not, I just can’t see how making the 7 or 8 Championship quality players we’ve got left, fitter, and tighter as a group, is going to compensate and get us to even where we were last season.
Who knows, maybe whilst we’re fixating on our problems, there are other clubs (Sheff Weds?) whose issues are just as big as ours and it really is, this year more than any other, ‘find 3 worse and we got through this in one piece’
To continue your shark metaphor…You’re right, but when there is blood in the water, it is about out swimming at least 3 other sides!
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 21:28 - Jul 21 with 2862 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 21:28 - Jul 21 by DejR_vu
Loving the Clive / Gareth dynamic btw, coming at things from polar opposite directions.
The weird thing is the one I’ve been most closely aligned to since I’ve been lucky enough to start doing this was Warbs, and that was the biggest row. Although apparently he’d mellowed on me by the end.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 22:49 - Jul 21 with 2617 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 21:53 - Jul 21 by Northernr
The weird thing is the one I’ve been most closely aligned to since I’ve been lucky enough to start doing this was Warbs, and that was the biggest row. Although apparently he’d mellowed on me by the end.
Warburton did always seem very straight-shooting. While I can’t criticise Ainsworth for going out to bat for his players I wonder if he’s gping out to bat for people who aren’t ‘his’ players such as Leon mistakenly.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 23:17 - Jul 21 with 2542 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 22:49 - Jul 21 by SAPilgrim
Warburton did always seem very straight-shooting. While I can’t criticise Ainsworth for going out to bat for his players I wonder if he’s gping out to bat for people who aren’t ‘his’ players such as Leon mistakenly.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 23:33 - Jul 21 with 2482 views
1. Thanks Clive, appreciate the time you continue to put in 2. The most interesting thing there for me was the comment about Paal. I hadn't heard, or thought, of him playing in a different position. If he does have the ability to do that, in centre mid for instance, it does start to open up some possibilities. Will be interesting to see if Ainsworth tries that out in any of the pre season games.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 23:51 - Jul 21 with 2437 views
Brilliant listen, thanks very much Clive (and Gaz).
Probably reflecting the average view from posters above - got to love the guy and his positivity overall, but slightly concerning how much of an underdog we now seemingly are.
Then again, I do get what he says about a slightly false position to be top of the league at one stage - even back in August against Middlesbrough, we were holding on second half and it was (not match-fit) Willock's wonder goal which ended up the winner. Wigan at home we scraped the win. Bristol City away felt impressive because of well-worked goals but we weren't a million miles better... Sure there are plenty of other close games I'm forgetting, and as has been well covered before, the rot set in before the Bealeshitter finally left...
What I'm getting at is that we have been in a state for a long time... Gaz seems the best person to lead a change in culture amongst the playing side - he's clearly planning for the long haul, and we just need to hope that whoever he ends up with as his first choice team in the first month or so does enough in the opening away games to give us a fighting chance, and give Gaz long enough to see it through.
As noted on another thread, it's rarely dull at Rangers - we're all signed up for the rollercoaster so hope the fanbase can get behind Gaz and see where it takes us!
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon (n/t) on 02:13 - Jul 22 with 2246 views
Would love to know which players we offered money for and got outbid.
In all a good interview. Like others on here I like his enthusiasm and trying to build a better team spirit at the club, but, the football that has been played while he has been in charge is awful to watch and hasn't been that effective. It also sound like he wants at least 4 or 5 in. 3perms and than look at the loan market. I hope this year starts better for him and all of us.
[Post edited 22 Jul 2023 2:17]
Smells like a trout farm in here
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 02:35 - Jul 22 with 2225 views
It's a cliché but he sounds like a "players coach." If you understand that to mean a coach who thinks and cares about his players before anything else.
We haven't had one of those in some time. Certainly not Beale, nor Critchley I suspect. Even Warburton was closer to being a DoF than a coach (and that's what he should be probably.) In fact it's been so long since we had one — Holloway Mk.1, maybe — that we've kinda forgotten what it's like. Weirdly, and not without butterflies in the old tum tum, I'm kinda looking forward to it.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 06:05 - Jul 22 with 2097 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 02:35 - Jul 22 by VancouverHoop
It's a cliché but he sounds like a "players coach." If you understand that to mean a coach who thinks and cares about his players before anything else.
We haven't had one of those in some time. Certainly not Beale, nor Critchley I suspect. Even Warburton was closer to being a DoF than a coach (and that's what he should be probably.) In fact it's been so long since we had one — Holloway Mk.1, maybe — that we've kinda forgotten what it's like. Weirdly, and not without butterflies in the old tum tum, I'm kinda looking forward to it.
Good point. Protecting players from criticism, taking responsibility for when things go wrong, when it goes right it's the players that did it etc. Good way to inspire loyalty and get those players to run through brick walls for the cause. Alex Ferguson tactic.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 08:57 - Jul 22 with 1865 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 21:18 - Jul 21 by DejR_vu
You can’t but love him can you?
If the sharks are circling and there’s blood in the water, no amount of ‘we’ll out-swim them’ is going to make it happen.
I get that he’s not going shuffle around Heston looking at the floor shouting ‘this is shit’, but equally, blind optimism can be just as dangerous as pessimism. I think it’s 9 players who’ve gone, and 3 in since last season, s season that we survived by the skin of our teeth. No matter what you think of those that left, we, literally, can’t hang 6 shirts on hangers and hang them on the crossbar. We’re woefully short of bodies, and even shorter on quality. It sounds like Illy might be on his way, if not him, one of the better players that we can actually command a fee for, so that weakens us further. I suspect that’s why it’s been relatively slow so far, despite the situation. Maybe he’s got some real aces up his sleeve and he can bring 4 or 5 in for 1 out but, if not, I just can’t see how making the 7 or 8 Championship quality players we’ve got left, fitter, and tighter as a group, is going to compensate and get us to even where we were last season.
Who knows, maybe whilst we’re fixating on our problems, there are other clubs (Sheff Weds?) whose issues are just as big as ours and it really is, this year more than any other, ‘find 3 worse and we got through this in one piece’
I made this very point on another thread (I forget which one now).
We - like most of the fans of all the other clubs - get so obsessed with our own anxieties, concerns and "issues" that we forget that the message boards of all the other clubs are currently awash with their own fierce debates about what should or shouldn't be happening there.
For all the talk of "naivety" on here about GA's mindset, I thought he was extremely realistic about how he defined success for this season to Clive. Whether we as fans like it or not, the long-term future and health of this club is what matters most, and if it means short-term pain for long-term gain (ie investing in infrastructure rather than an extra player) then I think the majority of posters on here would, however reluctantly, agree that that's the way we have to go.
If GA and the rest of the staff get the foundations of this new culture right, we will have something solid to build on for the next few seasons at least, We haven't seen that at HQ for the best part of 20 years now.
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Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 09:19 - Jul 22 with 1787 views
Gareth Ainsworth – Patreon on 20:06 - Jul 21 by sprocket
Good interview Clive and well worth the listen. This kinda stuck with me also how much he was at pains to protect the players. You tried your best to push him and call them out but he stuck to his guns. I don't see the reason why he doesn't call out the players that need calling out. I know he has to work with a lot of them and may have no choice but to protect them but I cannot see Warnock going to those lengths and that worries me a little.
Warnock never calls out players publically. You will get nothing from doing that, that's why weak managers do it (to deflect blame) and strong managers don't, because they are willing to take the heat in order to build trust. I've heard all the 'diddums' comments from the old school legends on here, but Critchley was embarrassingly naive last season, and paid the price for it.