The "Ask Gregg" Podcast

[Guest]

I think this deserves its own thread.

There is a podcast with Gregg Broughton here. It was recorded the day after the Bonlah defeat. I really think it's worth listening to because there is a lot to dissect, as well as some interesting nuggets of information about how the football world works behind the scenes in the modern era.

[Sweaty Gussets]

Interesting interview with GB. It will probably confirm the pessimists fears and for that reason I'm surprised it hasn't been commented on more. 

The 'what does success look like to BRFC' segment is particularly illuminating. 

Also, his comments on Bodo/Glimt - especially how when the 'project' started there the performances were very poor for a while and it was only in the 2nd and 3rd season that things got substantially better on the pitch. 

It's certainly a project here, with getting to the Prem a 'medium-term' ambition. 

[Mattyblue]

Is amusing how one result can sway opinions.

He was deemed most wise and an example of a club on the right path on Friday night merely on the back of a load of corporate speak on a podcast , yet ‘clueless’ and an example of why the club was going nowhere by Saturday afternoon…

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

14 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Is amusing how one result can sway opinions.

He was deemed most wise and an example of a club on the right path on Friday night merely on the back of a load of corporate speak on a podcast , yet ‘clueless’ and an example of why the club was going nowhere by Saturday afternoon…

 

Is that aimed at me? It would be be weird if it was because I only listened to it yesterday. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sweaty Gussets

[Mattyblue]

Not at all, just the general vibe of the transfer thread on Friday night as plenty of folk were enthralled by a load of managerial speak. 

Whereas he comes across as extremely naive to the realities of Championship football to me…
 

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Not at all, just the general vibe of the transfer thread on Friday night as plenty of folk were enthralled by a load of managerial speak. 

Whereas he comes across as extremely naive to the realities of Championship football to me…
 

 

But there's only me who has commented on it since the result on Saturday, so I can't be swayed because I only listened to it yesterday. That's why your comment made no sense. 

Agreed though, he sounds like a man who eats lentils in sandals, in a league where he should be eating a Leavers pie in a pair of hobnail boots...if you'll excuse the rather tortured analogy. 

[rigger]

17 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

Is that aimed at me? It would be be weird if it was because I only listened to it yesterday. 

Queue a Carly Simon song.

[rigger]

5 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

But there's only me who has commented on it since the result on Saturday, so I can't be swayed because I only listened to it yesterday. That's why your comment made no sense. 

Agreed though, he sounds like a man who eats lentils in sandals, in a league where he should be eating a Leavers pie in a pair of hobnail boots...if you'll excuse the rather tortured analogy. 

A Hollands pie, in clogs.

[Sweaty Gussets]

2 minutes ago, rigger said:

Queue a Carly Simon song.

That would have been quite amusing if you could spell 'cue'. 

[rigger]

3 minutes ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

That would have been quite amusing if you could spell 'cue'. 

I watched the snooker as well.

[Mike E]

Having listened to the podcast, it has solidified my confidence in this 'project'. Genuinely.

I've said all season, the fun won't begin til next season, and that's still my opinion. There are people who say strike while iron's hot (which is true) but we equally need to keep building from where we are.

Results need to improve, but I'll repeat that if we make the playoffs this season, it will be an achievement.

[Mattyblue]

It would be a fantastic achievement with this squad of players, which is why it won’t happen as over 46 games they ain’t good enough…

[Sweaty Gussets]

4 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

It would be a fantastic achievement with this squad of players, which is why it won’t happen as over 46 games they ain’t good enough…

In fairness he said next season, when I presume we'll have some different players than we have now. 

[Mattyblue]

He says it will be an achievement this season, no?

Edited January 16, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Sweaty Gussets]

6 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

He says it will be an achievement this season, no?

He also said the fun won't begin until next season, yes?

Ask admin to sort you out with a quote button. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Sweaty Gussets

[Mike E]

To confirm:

Playoffs THIS season will be a hell of an achievement.

I don't believe it can really happen til next season, but (pending transfers) I'll be expecting it next season.

I'm happy that my words are important enough to cause debate. I do signed photos if you'd like?

Edited January 16, 2023 by Mike E

[Mattyblue]

You are being very salty this morning, Sweaty. 😁

And I was responding to his view on this season in that it would be a bloody unbelievable achievement with these players.

You are quite right, a couple more windows and we may be in a better place to challenge, happy to wait and  see what’s behind GB’s management consultant spiel…
 

Edited January 16, 2023 by Mattyblue

[Sweaty Gussets]

1 minute ago, Mike E said:

To confirm:

Playoffs THIS season will be a hell of an achievement.

I don't believe it can really happen til next season, but (pending transfers) I'll be expecting it next season.

I'm happy that my words are important enough to cause debate. I do signed photos if you'd like?

I've got you Mike, I won't let Matty misrepresent you 🙂 

[Sweaty Gussets]

2 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

You are being very salty this morning, Sweaty. 😁

And I was responding to his view on this season in that it would be a bloody unbelievable achievement with these players.

You are quite right, a couple more windows and we may be in a better place to challenge, happy to wait and  see what’s behind GB’s management consultant spiel…
 

🖕😁 all good humoured Matty

[joey_big_nose]

Yeah... there's a lot of folk who have already decided that JDT and Broughton need to go etc, but realistically they've only been here 5 minutes. It will take time, that's just football. You can appoint a manager who transforms the club overnight and you end up getting promoted (Cooper at Forest last season being a prime example). But that happens incredibly rarely, so if that's our target we will be turning over the entire structure of the club every 6 months until we strike gold, and to me that sounds more like a recipe for relegation than promotion if you havent got the resources to pay off the entire staff and hire new ones like Chelsea or Watford.

Results are definitely bizarre, win games we should lose, lose games we should win. No draws. Definitely a challenge in creating and scoring goals.... First real test of the management for me is if we come out on 1st Feb looking like a team that can score more and make a comeback in games. If we are much the same team on 1st Feb as on December 31st with no progress, then that will be my first genuine concerns.

[Sparks Rover]

50 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yeah... there's a lot of folk who have already decided that JDT and Broughton need to go etc, but realistically they've only been here 5 minutes. It will take time, that's just football.

If we are much the same team on 1st Feb as on December 31st with no progress, then that will be my first genuine concerns.

Surely, your 2nd paragraph contradicts your 1st.  Considering the usual inflated prices for players in January. 

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, Mike E said:

Having listened to the podcast, it has solidified my confidence in this 'project'. Genuinely.

I've said all season, the fun won't begin til next season, and that's still my opinion. There are people who say strike while iron's hot (which is true) but we equally need to keep building from where we are.

Results need to improve, but I'll repeat that if we make the playoffs this season, it will be an achievement.

Does the fact that we are allowing Brereton to run his deal, have loaned in 3 players including one who plays every single game, and are seemingly looking for more loanees not all fly in the face of this theory that is emerging that this year is purely for building foundations? Ayala is preferred to Phillips, Morton to Wharton, Brereton to Dolan, Dack at times to Szmodics, so many decisions made looking to win each individual game rather than with one eye on next season.

Either the onus being on next season is management spiel (that people are taking too literally) with the intention of buying patience, or the plan is genuine and just being executed poorly.

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

Does the fact that we are allowing Brereton to run his deal, have loaned in 3 players including one who plays every single game, and are seemingly looking for more loanees not all fly in the face of this theory that is emerging that this year is purely for building foundations? Ayala is preferred to Phillips, Morton to Wharton, Brereton to Dolan, Dack at times to Szmodics, so many decisions made looking to win each individual game rather than with one eye on next season.

Either the onus being on next season is management spiel (that people are taking too literally) with the intention of buying patience, or the plan is genuine and just being executed poorly.

Ayala is better than Phillips, who is slowly being introduced this season. Ditto A. Wharton.

Brereton was our top goalscorer last year, while Dolan remains an emerging talent.

Dack is preferred to Szmodics, who was brought in with Dack potentially not meeting his previous level (still hasn't imo).

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Ayala is better than Phillips, who is slowly being introduced this season. Ditto A. Wharton.

Brereton was our top goalscorer last year, while Dolan remains an emerging talent.

Dack is preferred to Szmodics, who was brought in with Dack potentially not meeting his previous level (still hasn't imo).

Never will whilst he has to play off Gallagher.

[roversfan99]

6 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Ayala is better than Phillips, who is slowly being introduced this season. Ditto A. Wharton.

Brereton was our top goalscorer last year, while Dolan remains an emerging talent.

Dack is preferred to Szmodics, who was brought in with Dack potentially not meeting his previous level (still hasn't imo).

Not disagreeing with any of those reasons, but again this doesn't fit the narrative that this season is purely one of laying the foundations for next.

Brereton won't be here next season, so keeping him and playing him every week not only reduces the game time for those who will, but loses us a significant sum to reinvest to aid that.

I am not saying we shouldn't play Brereton, Dack and Ayala, we are a much better team with those 3. But I am not having this supposed idea that we essentially write a season off and more importantly, numerous decisions made go against this idea.