Championship Striker? Alex Jones? Smurf On The Radio

[Mario]

If these clubs were going to support us, why haven't they before we built a squad of 36 players? And are we to believe that bruno has run a Europe wide scouting network whilst being at 5 different clubs for about 8 games a shot. Smurf must understand why fans are sceptical. Maybe we will sign George Weahs cousin and all will be great again.

 

I think Smurfs little story tonight was designed to start shifting the blame.

[Spunk Trumpet]

What I concluded from that is that he employed Ribeiro, not because of his managerial and coaching credentials, but because he has contacts.

Then let's go back to when he was employed back in June. At the time Norman said he has a plan b and he would use it should we not be in the top six at Christmas.

Fair enough.

Until you realise plan a was to appoint a foreign manager with a poor record, in the hope his mates help him out. Sign almost 20 players, of which the majority were a huge gamble, having played in poor European leagues.

And then plan b, the master plan, the back up that's been put in place is.................... To sign a load more players!!!

 

He is right. Apathy has set in.

Stop talking about Micky Adams.

Support is 20% down in two years because of your antics Norman.

I said 12 months ago just how damaging his antics were after Exeter. Slagging the club off to the global audience at SKY.

It was irreversible then and is now.

I liked his little sly dig about be careful what you wish for in regards people wanting him gone.

Make no mistake, there were and possibly still are people wanting to buy the club but he puts them off with his ridiculous asking price.

 

I'm sick of people saying 'he puts his money in'.

He wastes it. That's what he does. On ridiculous contracts. Signing a keeper from benfica on a two year deal. Ryan Lloyd. Shalej on a one year deal. Ferguson from Burton. Mbamba. We could go on.

He said quality not quantity and ends up with the opposite. And why? Because the more players he has, the bigger chance of that one gem that will make him money.

That's why there will be another bucketload of arrivals in January.

Between him and Bruno it's the blind leading the blind.

And if he thinks getting in a prem/champ striker then we will start winning games, he's sadly mistaken.

We could loan Zlatan and he wouldn't score the goals because of the managers stupid, stubborn, isolated one up front approach. I've never seen the formation played where the striker is so isolated as it is in our side.

 

Bruno's in charge for the next two home games. I'll support the lads. I'm hoping for at least three points from the two to keep our heads above water.

The sooner we reach 50 points the better.

[Rampant Zebra]

I got shot down at the beginning of the season for saying that the players brought in from overseas might struggle with the intensity of League One and the length of the season here. Frightening that Norman has only just realized that that might be the case.

[PV1973]

Earlier today we had a debate about players not fitting in to Bruno's system. It turns out he's supposedly signed everyone except one, so why sign a bunch of players not suitable for how he wants to play? What kind of scouting and research is that?

 

To put the icing on the cake Bruno was only recruited because his mates gave him a reference. Now Smurf wants to see loan players coming in, which I assume he was promised back in June?

[hamilboy]

I got shot down at the beginning of the season for saying that the players brought in from overseas might struggle with the intensity of League One and the length of the season here. Frightening that Norman has only just realized that that might be the case.

 

Just look at the players that we r missing at the moment ever likely struggle any team in the league would with there 5 top players out lets have a bit of realism please.

[LancyTony]

I see Zola has signed Jutkiewicz the striker from Burnley. Hopefully paving the way to letting Vale have Jones?

 

Smurf has clearly been let down by the Portugeezers and is now warning them it's time to start supporting their friend like they said they would. If we are to get better quality players in, then we can certainly afford to let some of our squad go on loan - but I wouldn't have a complete clearout, just yet, as there is definite potential in some of these young lads. A season, or half, in League 2 might just bring them on for the season following? Of course, some would have a complete clearout because they're foreign!

[TheSage]

It's been a very odd recruitment process to say the least. Presumably Bruno thought that several lads were good enough for our level but clearly that hasn't been the case. That might help explain why the likes of Grant, Hooper and Purkiss have at various times thrown their toys out of the pram because they, like many of us, could see the way the wind was blowing and the high probability that it wouldn't propel us into the top six.

 

But it's not just the poor recruitment process is it? It's also the stubborn futility of sticking to one up front when we don't have a target man good enough to play that role. Also the laborious build up from the back that has now been found out by opposition scouts. The continual chopping and changing of the team. Playing several lads out of position. Persisting with zonal marking. Failing to play with any intensity until the second half of games. The list is endless.

 

We've said it before but why do we continue to play in the same way that has failed us in the past 12-13 games?

 

What is the point of having players in the squad if they are not good enough? Get rid and sign better quality, more experienced lads. Is it rocket science or what?

[Rampant Zebra]

Just look at the players that we r missing at the moment ever likely struggle any team in the league would with there 5 top players out lets have a bit of realism please.

 

Shouldn't you be saying that to Norman since i was only replying to comments made in his Radio Stoke interview at the beginning of the thread?

[smithie]

It's hard to believe that all the foreign contingent are overjoyed with their experience so far. Mbamba, Shalaj, Perreira and Santos have probably not got 180 minutes between them.

[Spunk Trumpet]

It's hard to believe that all the foreign contingent are overjoyed with their experience so far. Mbamba, Shalaj, Perreira and Santos have probably not got 180 minutes between them.

 

A bit of an exaggeration.

A quick scroll through early games sees them have 393 minutes by September 3rd.

[Santa]

I got shot down at the beginning of the season for saying that the players brought in from overseas might struggle with the intensity of League One and the length of the season here. Frightening that Norman has only just realized that that might be the case.

I think it's far more straightforward than that. Too many of them simply aren't good enough.

 

A lot of overseas players do adapt sufficiently to the intensity of lower league English football, however the level from which we've signed most of our foreign players is the equivalent of non-league.

[Spunk Trumpet]

I think it's far more straightforward than that. Too many of them simply aren't good enough.

 

A lot of overseas players do adapt sufficiently to the intensity of lower league English football, however the level from which we've signed most of our foreign players is the equivalent of non-league.

Of which I stated back in the summer when we signed Mbamba from the Norwegian third division, having already played for four lower league Norwegian clubs which is the standard of Sunday morning football.

[Santa]

And you weren't the only one. Mbamba's YouTube showreel even had some indoor match footage on there - at that point alarm bells should have been ringing. I don't like to single the lad out but he's not a 19/20 year old chancer, he's 24 for Christ's sake.

 

Norman's Plan B looks suspiciously like Plan A in a funny looking wig and glasses.

 

If he thinks the Manchester Uniteds, Middlesbroughs and Sheffield Wednesdays of this world are going to loan us players for free or even just cheap as a favour then he really has been hoodwinked by Bruno, and continues to be.

[valiant_593]

Of which I stated back in the summer when we signed Mbamba from the Norwegian third division, having already played for four lower league Norwegian clubs which is the standard of Sunday morning football.

Got to be one of the strangest signings going

[geosname]

I dont see the logic in any of the interview