[Archived] Club PR is impying that 9th place is an achievement? Progression or Regression. Your thoughts?

[Jimmy612]

Or he could state that he's determined to win our two last remaining fixtures.

Talking about finishing 9th as if it's some kind of accomplishment is just insulting the fans' intelligence.

Talk about splitting hairs.

If he'd said that he'd have been ripped apart on here. He can't win whatever he says.

[K-Hod]

Or he could state that he's determined to win our two last remaining fixtures.

Talking about finishing 9th as if it's some kind of accomplishment is just insulting the fans' intelligence.

I have to admit I'd prefer it if he worded it like this, but I think he probably just meant that he wants to finish as high as possible, knowing 9th is that high.....

[den]

Platitudes, Den - every manager does it. Bloody Allardyce was spouting off about every game being important from here on in yesterday, you liked him well enough.

I don't mind you criticising his many flaws, but what's he supposed to say in an interview? "@#/? it, I'm off to Barbados in three weeks, who cares about the last 3 games"

Too many people jumping on him for every little thing nowadays - it's just a sign of what our fanbase has been reducded to in the last few years sadly. Taking childish swipes at every little thing that happens at the club.

Childish swipes? I've just posted what he's said. It is an odd thing to say though.

[Jimmy612]

I have to admit I'd prefer it if he worded it like this, but I think he probably just meant that he wants to finish as high as possible, knowing 9th is that high.....

K-Hod, unless we see the full transcript or listen to the full interview we shouldn't even pass comment.

This lot are like politicians in the house of commons - twist everything he says to their advantage of belittling him at every opportunity - it's boring now.

[Amo]

Talk about splitting hairs.

The way a comment is phrased can make all the difference to how it's received.

If he'd said that he'd have been ripped apart on here. He can't win whatever he says.

You're just hedging your bets now.

[den]

I have to admit I'd prefer it if he worded it like this, but I think he probably just meant that he wants to finish as high as possible, knowing 9th is that high.....

He might have meant that.... But on the other hand, didn't Kamy say the club are pushing the top ten = success line? Fits in nicely.

Cynical me? - you bet.

[DE.]

Cynical me? - you bet.

You'd have to be a fool to be anything other than cynical about the club at present, den.

The race for 9th... the excitement never ends.

[47er]

Talk about splitting hairs.

If he'd said that he'd have been ripped apart on here. He can't win whatever he says.

I don't much care what he says. There Is only one place we need him to win and that's on the pitch.

If he could manage that, all the rest would take care of itself.

Unfortunately he has failed in this regard and that's why what he says has little currency.

[mustard]

Platitudes, Den - every manager does it. Bloody Allardyce was spouting off about every game being important from here on in yesterday, you liked him well enough.

I don't mind you criticising his many flaws, but what's he supposed to say in an interview? "@#/? it, I'm off to Barbados in three weeks, who cares about the last 3 games"

Too many people jumping on him for every little thing nowadays - it's just a sign of what our fanbase has been reducded to in the last few years sadly. Taking childish swipes at every little thing that happens at the club.

Every game is important for a Premier League side. Each spot in the table is worth at least £1million so Big Sam isn't wrong. The case with Bowyer and Rovers is VERY different and finishing 9th should NOT be seen as an achievement.

[yoda]

Talk about splitting hairs.

If he'd said that he'd have been ripped apart on here. He can't win whatever he does..

draws no problem, sometimes

[Earlydoors]

I am an admirer of Bowyer. He has resuscitated the club. Given it some players with desire and hunger and a team spirit. I think he and everyone including me thought we'd finish top 6 this season. Therefore 9th or 10th is not an achievement even accounting for operating under an embargo. For me, we've dropped too many points by being too cautious. I hope the penny has dropped with GB because I'd like to see him continue providing we are challenging by next xmas.............

[Jimmy612]

Every game is important for a Premier League side. Each spot in the table is worth at least £1million so Big Sam isn't wrong. The case with Bowyer and Rovers is VERY different and finishing 9th should NOT be seen as an achievement.

I assume you've listened to the interview and that Bowyer did indeed state that 9th would be an acheivement? Or did he simply state in a roundabout way that we want to finish as strongly as possible?

Non story

[onlyonejackwalker]

Jimmy has a point. Bowyer cannot win now. But that situation has only come about due to poor results and performance this season. Plus the rather comical spin of the last few weeks, reminiscent of ****.

47er is also correct. No one would care much what he says if he was playing winning football and giving us a chance of achieving our objectives.

[mustard]

I assume you've listened to the interview and that Bowyer did indeed state that 9th would be an acheivement? Or did he simply state in a roundabout way that we want to finish as strongly as possible?

Non story

"A roundabout way"...

I never implied or suggested Bowyer said anything. You used Big Sam's comments as a means of defending Bowyer and I was replying to you, arguing your recent comparisons of mid-table Premier League football to mid-table Championship football have been quite frankly ridiculous. Each spot in the Prem table is worth £££ to the clubs fighting for a higher position. This is a fact. We are so far off the pace our position now is meaningless. Forget Bowyer's comments, Big Sam's comments are alluding to an ENTIRELY different situation and the comparisons are plain dumb.

[Jimmy612]

"A roundabout way"...

I never implied or suggested Bowyer said anything. You used Big Sam's comments as a means of defending Bowyer and I was replying to you, arguing your recent comparisons of mid-table Premier League football to mid-table Championship football have been quite frankly ridiculous. Each spot in the Prem table is worth £££ to the clubs fighting for a higher position. This is a fact. We are so far off the pace our position now is meaningless. Forget Bowyer's comments, Big Sam's comments are alluding to an ENTIRELY different situation and the comparisons are plain dumb.

My comparisons are of managers comments - You can probably go through every manager in charge of teams in mid-table in the top 4 leagues and every one will be saying the same thing - "We've got to finish as strongly as possible".

Do you really think Big Sam gives a @#/? about where West Ham finish now? He knows he's out of a job - they've already been rejected by Klopp - he's a dead man walking and will be plotting his next move.

Any interview at this stage of the season is platitudes - just like Bowyer has delivered today. Should be taken with a pinch of salt, just like every interview done by managers nowadays.

[imy9]

Not close enough to Arsenal.

Closer to home, as one poster pointed out, look at Burnley since Howard went there.

Google it. The professor is the man who is leading the field in the area. His record is worse. Sometimes injuries are just bad luck.

[ABBEY]

Pinch of salt or porkies

[Exiled in Toronto]

If I was Gary I would stop banging on about 9th being an achievement and start telling anyone who will listen that this year's top three right now finished 10th, 12th and 13th last year. It's probably the key fact in convincing his bosses that the year 3 goal of promotion is still on the cards. Even so, I suspect he may be able to convince them that FFP entitles him to push the goal back to year 4. I think he could be around for a while yet.

[jim mk2]

I'm not against Bowyer staying but he must recognise his own shortcomings and that of his back-up team. The team conceded too many goals last season and the problem has continued this season. Bowyer many times has shown his frustration at the soft goals we have given away and the drawn games that we should have won. He needs to shake up his coaching staff and bring in people who know what they are doing.

[broadsword]

I'd say he doesn't "need" to do anything except maintain hours relationship with madame.

mere performances and results are secondary

[Husky]

I'm thrilled by this seawsons 9th place fight - anyone that isn't probably thinks we're going to sign Ronaldo during the summer.

[Andyblue2]

This will be the summer and beginning of next season where bowyer will want a few to go and then he gets another year with the sympathy of losing his best players (JR/RG). The pressure must be on from day one of the season with no exits in his third season and he knows it. Big exodus this summer for that reason.

[bluebruce]

Nothing less than top six was acceptable for me this season. I said so before we kicked a ball, and finishing so far short of it when we were only two points shy last season is abysmal. A good cup run does not mask this. The points required at the top suggest this season has been harder, but we should have been taking some points off those teams and reducing that anyway. Poor tactics, misuse of players (out of position when not necessary or helpful, and out of the team when in form...stubbornly persisted with when out of form) have consigned us to mediocrity and underachievement. Worst, this was our last big chance.

What awaits us next season? I'm sure Venkys will stick with a manager who has demonstrated he won't deliver or improve. I reckon we will only lose one of our key forwards, but that will keep us in the embargo and unable to replace them. If we do lose both, there is the possibility of still being under an embargo, or having to spend money to replace them (which may put us straight back into an embargo). Hanley and Lowe will be back, and thrust straight back into the action, which I only see as weakening us. We will stick with the two defensive midfielders, which only puts us under pressure and hampers our strengths. We may lose King - if we don't, we are going to be relying a lot on him being injury free and developing in the final third. It will take some impressively smart trading in the summer just to repeat this season's finish, if we don't change manager. Switching manager (to the right one) could compensate for losing one of our key strikers. But I don't see us doing that any time soon. Maybe mid season.

At this stage, I'm predicting we will finish around 12-14th next season, with the occasional fear that we may get dragged into a relegation fight, but rarely in any real danger. We'll see how the summer goes.

[Exiled in Toronto]

9th and a quarter final: not good enough to think there will be big achievements next year and not bad enough to be fired. I never liked having staff like that.

[DE.]

Bowyer has been bailed out by having two top strikers this year. Once we lose those, we become easy pickings for the majority of this division. Keep one of Rhodes/Gestede and we may keep our heads above water next season - lose both and we are sunk.