BottledDog

Sorry, been down the pub. Have I missed the post where NE5 addresses the actual topic?

I demand the return of general football chat.

Nope, nope and nope. My mum has been known to call it an 'abomination' on occasion, but I doubt that'll catch on either.

Maybe he didn't feel Campbell would sufficiently embiggen the squad...

If the Guardian got it right and we were contacted first then the answer would be no. He would have been offered at his full wage and then when he got the no answer it would have been "Fine I'll play in Italy or Spain then." As stated before Campbell (and his agent) thought that he had many options before he eventually ended up at Pompey... which leads to another point: If he was such a "common sense option" why didn't he have more opportunities available? He was most likely seen as an expnsive risk by more managers than Roeder... some of them may have even been good ones. I can't believe I am in a position forced to defend Roeder (whom I was never very happy about) but here I am. I think you are being a tad unfair here. Campbell played less matched because of his psychological issues as stated before and Woodgate because he was injured. Huth, on the otherhand, was not playing first team football, but he was in fact still playing reserve football and was fit both physically and psychologically. I see a big difference in Woodgate v Huth v Campbell in the 05-06 season. All I am pointing out is that we were simply were not interested. In a summer where we were clearly lacking in targets, to dismiss Campbell completely because he asked us first and for high wages seems a tad over the top. Surely it would have been more sensible to say 'not a chance on those wages but if you cannot find a better deal we would be receptive to any further negotiations' but obviously we had no interest in him at all. As it turns out, that was a mistake, as was Shepherd and Roeders conflicting views on Woodgate and Huth and the resulting failure to sign any of them. Hindsight? Yes. But that does not save him from the criticism which esentially boils down to his inability to strengthen the squad significantly.

Give him a call. Steve Walton 07775 544058* [email protected]

So we couldn't bargain him down by offering him higher profile first team football on the same wages as the best offered elsewhere? Bollocks, of course we could if were interested. Nope, Roeder had already given a very cromulent arguement that we were not interested because of the lack of football he had played. The same arguement he made for Woodgate it would seem, though not one used for his main target Huth obviously (who has since played considerably less games than either of them).

Too old. Our summer transfer policy has already been outlined by Roeder as targeting under 25s (that would seem to discount Bridge too unless he is talking utter balls again).

Jesus wept. At least icemanblue was joking.

Umm what? What is his background?

Was Luque ever class, or did he just have one or two good seasons? Who can blame Roeder for talking up his signing? I think people are having a go because he is not just talking him up he has been making excuses as to why he has failed to fire, e.g moving to another club, coming from a better team etc. and is now failing back on the old failsafe that he is a class player and will always be a class player. Well that is all well and good, all we want to see if Duff to do well, but the fact is that he isn't doing well and the excuses and diversions are just getting tiresome from Roeder. This is not an isolated problem, the man just doesn't know when to shut up.

A couple of points that would counter your argument: - We're 11th in the league, six points of 6th, in no danger of relegation, and for the most part of this season we've had between 10 and 16 first team players injured. - His signings have been good. Martins = Class, Duff = Underperforming but still good, Sibi = Decent back up, Gooch = First few games have been very good considering he's come into a far superior league. Bernard = Fair enough. - You could also argue that our squad would never have been good enough to get near the UEFA places anyway, and it's our expectations that are marginally too high. hahahaahahahahahahahahahaahah!!!!!!!!! Brilliant. That was genius. Which part exactly do you disagree with? His signings have been good. That part. Bernard was a disaster (and always destined to be), he wasted £5m on a player who not only has been s****, but who plays in a position that shoudl have been WAY down our list. He is forced to play a winger (not even a wing BACK) as a right back, our best CB as a left back, and a Championship player as our only permanent-ly contracted CB . Bernard has been a crap signing, I said that. To be honest, we did need a left winger. It may not have been priority, but we needed one. We only have Zog. If you can name me a right back that is better than Solano AND available, I'll agree with you. Everyone knows we need a LB. I wasn't stating that his transfer windows have been good. I was saying that the transfers he's made have been good. You're making the mistake of assuming that just because you or I don't have a list of RBs, that there aren't any decent ones out there. There are players signed every transfer window whose names I've never heard in my life but who do a decent job. It's not my or your job to know who these players are. It is Glenn Roeder's though. To suggest that just because you or I can't name a right back who we'd like means there aren't any out there is ridiculous. There must be any number of decent right backs playing across Europe at lesser clubs that would jump at the chance to play in the Premiership. It just happens that like you and I, Glenn Roeder doesn't have a fucking clue who they are. Unlike Jol who I guess wasn't alone in managing to pick up a player more than comfortable at right back in January.

Used to play right back for us. Sometimes did a nice little roly-poly throw in.

To Clarify a point: We will NOT be pushing 4th spot this season (ffs that would be a miracle), but trying to get in the top 4 should be our aim for NEXT season for sure. As well as a healthy dose of realism, you apparently also lack some basic comprehension.

You feel more positive now than a year ago when we were climbing up the table under a caretaker who according to Shepherd was to make way for a world class manager at the end of the season and slot back into a developing academy and reserve setup? Blimey. At least I felt the club had a chance of attracting such a character back then, now I wouldn't be so sure. That doesn't strike me as a positive step forward. I agree with Hindu Times, as long as we keep improving under Roeder, he should be given till the end of next season as he's laying strong foundations and once we are a little more settled with the likes of Owen and Emre we should be up there pushing for the top four. The only thing that pisses me off at the moment about Roeder is his team selection, i.e. against Wigan and the fact he keeps picking Bramble who should have been booted out of Toon years ago. Improving in what ways ffs? Some of the fooball we are now playing is the most negative soul sapping shite I have ever witnessed. We have decent players playing well below their capabilities and a manager all to willing to blame anything but those players or himself. And yet the only problem you have with him is picking Bramble who (while may well be not good enough due to his propensity for the odd ricket) at least has had some decent games recently? Come on. 4th spot with Roeder if Emre and Owen stay at the club? Now there is some hardcore optimism.

Well that seems pretty optimistic to me. I think the coaching staff (and players to a degree) are showing way too many deficiencies to believe that the availability of Emre this season (or Owen the next) would spark these damp squibs into life.

You feel more positive now than a year ago when we were climbing up the table under a caretaker who according to Shepherd was to make way for a world class manager at the end of the season and slot back into a developing academy and reserve setup? Blimey. At least I felt the club had a chance of attracting such a character back then, now I wouldn't be so sure. That doesn't strike me as a positive step forward.

He asked what it would take and I did say we needed a 'positive' takeover, not just any old fat factory owner. Christ, try and be a bit optimistic once in a while man Skirge.

Ugh. Most defeatist arguement evar! There are enough managers out their that supporters can have faith in from the start and have records that deserve that time, it is up to the Chairman to track them down and woo them. There is a suggestion for one in the post above this. Attaboy Freddy.

A positive takeover if possible. At the very least a managerial team that can get a group of players playing above themselves and playing positive football and with a philosophy about the clubs development you can buy into. But forget specifics, ultimately most just hope for a situation where you can look at the club and come away feeling positive for the future, something that is almost impossible under the current set up.

Does this work in the negative sense as well? Is it fair to say that Roeders 'blip' came during his 'honeymoon period' and now he is reverting back to the manager his dreadful record always hinted at?

Shepherd said his time would be up if he got the next managerial appointment wrong (Roeder). I'm happy to hold him to that if Glenn goes.

Arf.

This. Because some kids in Africa are dying it doesn't make my day to day life feel any better, if anything it just adds another dollop of depression on top. Merry fucking Sunday everybody.

Shepherd must be thrilled - at least TWO Season Tickets he's sure of selling.... Sadly you are probably right, but God damn, sarcasms a bitch on t'internet.