How do you see the rest of the season panning out?

[80]

No, I also predicted a defeat against Birmingham and (light-heartedly) that Enrique would be prepared to sign a contract come the Summer, hence the latter comment.

 

But you're suggesting that you now might be wrong about team spirit, presumably based upon tonights relevation. It's all good, but I just don't see why there is a need to start questioning it again after one article in the mail, when all the evidence is to the contrary.

 

Chin up. The lads out on the pitch look to be working for each other. We are doing well.

 

Well, I didn't say it was impossible it would come apart - 'if the aims of the management and players diverge...'. Furthermore, seeing as I was going on public evidence (in concrete terms, nothing more than a solid statement that Enrique wanted to see if we survived before negotiations), I believed it had survived the Hughton/Carroll sagas, but maybe I was wrong and aftershocks are still going to reverberate. Let's be clear on my definition here - I'm a butterflies and hurricanes type of person. As such, today could prompt division within the squad or between them and the management which echoes on ('if our he's going to bail on us too, what's the point of this?', 'if the pricks are going to run things this way, this place is screwed'). Jose#s an influential boy, it's hard to imagine the players aren't going to be affected by his demeanour.

 

That said, I agree - I was only speculating, maybe prompting a discussion - I think the spirit will come through these events for this season, which is what the thread's concerned with. I think they'll resort to not crumbling in order to preserve their own self-respect, as with the Arsenal game, as well as (because they're a good bunch of lads) doing it for the fans, who they wouldn't want to let down even if they might possibly think the people who run their club are piss-taking idiots.

[80]

No, I also predicted a defeat against Birmingham and (light-heartedly) that Enrique would be prepared to sign a contract come the Summer, hence the latter comment.

 

Sorry, misread your post, particularly this bit - "so if the aims of the club's government and its team's members diverge, problems could arise".

 

Hopefully that's not what we're seeing. Tthe lads out on the pitch still look to be working for each other, fingers crossed both they and Enrique keep it up until the end of the season.

 

It would've been cool if you'd edited that a bit quicker

[BottledDog]

It would've been cool if you'd edited that a bit quicker

 

Ah, I'm sorry. It's getting stupidly late (blame Enrique!).

 

You are absolutely right of course. There are continuing effects from the big decisions and sadly this might be a symptom; even if in Carrolls case, while I hate seeing him go, it may yet help us push on quicker than we otherwise might have (if we do spend wisely). But I would hope we can still remain positive off the pitch while the team still show fight on the pitch. One article doesn't change that for me.

[80]

Certainly not leaving the players' sides

[80]

In the name of intellectual honesty... bump.

 

Totally got Birmingham's future wrong. In fact, that was one of the biggest and best things to happen for us. I think our win down there was one of the most important of our season. If it was them that had robbed an early goal, that following Bolton-Everton-Stoke period would have looked very ugly...