Confidence-o-meter

[Brend'Watkins]

I agree with you Mark.   He is clearly a football man through and through.   The tough to get ninth comment demeans the club the fans and the players but it is the only real blunder he has made.   I would much have preferred him to say despite the departure of some excellent players we have a squad of players who are perfectly capable of beating any team in the Premiership on their day.   It is my job as manager to make it happen on a weekly basis.   The tough to get ninth was  lumpen verbal hoofball.

When he made those comments he'd seen his team play once, against lower league opposition, so the comments you suggest would have been just as meaningless, other than to provide us with a bit of rabble rousing rhetoric.

Sometimes leaders need to use rabble rousing rhetoric. Being positive and motivational are not bad skills to have. Even if he's being more positive in the dressing room, players will hear these kind of things and think that he doesn't really have much belief in them. The simple fact is there was no need to say it. Keep the negative stuff in your own mind if you want to inspire others. The christening analogy is spot on.

I disagree with that, players are already remarking about the togetherness that AM has instilled in the squad, that is one of his strengths. 

One thing is for sure, AM will get the best out of every player that we have, he did it with his previous teams and did it against Arsenal in a cup final where he as much as said his team had no chance prior to the game.  No rethoric used there, at least not to the press. The dressing room must have been a totally different matter.

[pauliewalnuts]

One thing is for sure, AM will get the best out of every player that we have, he did it with his previous teams and did it against Arsenal in a cup final where he as much as said his team had no chance prior to the game.  No rethoric used there, at least not to the press. The dressing room must have been a totally different matter.

Whilst I agree with the rest of your post, the bit highlighted is a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? Hleb and Bentley last year, for example?

I don't think there's a single manager around who gets the best out of every player he has, to be honest.

[N'ZMAV]

Hleb, Bentley, Zigic, Curtis Davies.... there's a few, and they all were players he bought in. He got a lot out of players like Bowyer, Carr and Foster. Especially Johnson and Dann. He's got a decent enough sucess rate, similar to most managers I guess. You win some, you lose some.

[PaulWinch again]

I still think we are fullback and a central midfielder short. However if we can get Ireland, Dunne, Warnock all playing at their best then I think we've certainly got a good first 11.

[Greg N'Ash]

Pre-season games mean nowt. If we'd been hammered in both games it wouldn't have any bearing on how we'll do this season

[Brend'Watkins]

One thing is for sure, AM will get the best out of every player that we have, he did it with his previous teams and did it against Arsenal in a cup final where he as much as said his team had no chance prior to the game.  No rethoric used there, at least not to the press. The dressing room must have been a totally different matter.

Whilst I agree with the rest of your post, the bit highlighted is a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? Hleb and Bentley last year, for example?

I don't think there's a single manager around who gets the best out of every player he has, to be honest.

Okay, maybe not the two you've highlighted but they were only half season loans who probably didn't even want to be there.  It's more aimed at the likes of Carr, Gardner, Fergueson and the like.  Average at best type players who he somehow got that extra bit out of.

[N'ZMAV]

I still think we are fullback and a central midfielder short. However if we can get Ireland, Dunne, Warnock all playing at their best then I think we've certainly got a good first 11.

I think with Young, Beye and Cuellar at right back, Warnock, Clark, Baker and Young at left back we have enough.

[pauliewalnuts]

One thing is for sure, AM will get the best out of every player that we have, he did it with his previous teams and did it against Arsenal in a cup final where he as much as said his team had no chance prior to the game.  No rethoric used there, at least not to the press. The dressing room must have been a totally different matter.

Whilst I agree with the rest of your post, the bit highlighted is a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? Hleb and Bentley last year, for example?

I don't think there's a single manager around who gets the best out of every player he has, to be honest.

Okay, maybe not the two you've highlighted but they were only half season loans who probably didn't even want to be there.  It's more aimed at the likes of Carr, Gardner, Fergueson and the like. Average at best type players who he somehow got that extra bit out of.

Sounds a bit like MON

[Ger Regan]

To be fair though, wasn't Hleb made of glass for most of the time he was over the road, and The Nation's Favourite Gaffer 'Appy 'Arry wasn't able to get Bentley playing well either, so it's not as if it was all McLeish's fault on that one.

As for the topic of this thread, I've been pleasantly surprised so far. My biggest concern with McLeish was that he'd get us playing gash football, but from what I've seen so far (yes, only 2 friendlies, but that's all we can judge him on to date), he's got us playing good stuff. If he continues in a similar fashion, I'll certainly be more confident about the future.

[Brend'Watkins]

One thing is for sure, AM will get the best out of every player that we have, he did it with his previous teams and did it against Arsenal in a cup final where he as much as said his team had no chance prior to the game.  No rethoric used there, at least not to the press. The dressing room must have been a totally different matter.

Whilst I agree with the rest of your post, the bit highlighted is a bit of an exaggeration isn't it? Hleb and Bentley last year, for example?

I don't think there's a single manager around who gets the best out of every player he has, to be honest.

Okay, maybe not the two you've highlighted but they were only half season loans who probably didn't even want to be there.  It's more aimed at the likes of Carr, Gardner, Fergueson and the like. Average at best type players who he somehow got that extra bit out of.

Sounds a bit like MON

It certainly does and it's no bad trait.  If he can do the other important bits where MON was less successful then we should all be pleasently surprised. 

[Rudy Can't Fail]

As for the topic of this thread, I've been pleasantly surprised so far. My biggest concern with McLeish was that he'd get us playing gash football, but from what I've seen so far (yes, only 2 friendlies, but that's all we can judge him on to date), he's got us playing good stuff. If he continues in a similar fashion, I'll certainly be more confident about the future.

It may be worth noting that Bent's goal yesterday was the end result of a 19 pass move. Downing's on the last day of the season was a 16 pass move. You hear the players commenting on how we are keeping the ball much better now. He may not get the headlines but I do get the feeling Sid is vital to the way we are trying to play and the players are responding.

Now with the addition of Chaz Z, if we can add a bit of speed down the wings, we may for the first time in ages have both a Plan A and Plan B, which can only be a good thing.

[eastie]

i feel confident of a decent season and better than last year but im not setting my expectations too high - i think we will be around 7th place and chasing a europa place -i think last seasons top 6 will be this seasons top 6 and we will pip everton to best of the rest.

anything better than 7th would be a surprise,i think liverpool and spurs have more depth than us at this moment.

[Toronto Villa]

Pre-season games mean nowt. If we'd been hammered in both games it wouldn't have any bearing on how we'll do this season

Had we got hammered in both games it would have badly affected the confidence of the entire team, would have caused people like you to explode, and others that go to the games that have a dislike for Mcleish to really lay into him which ultimately would have been bad for the team morale. Pre-season isn't the be all and end all, but it certainly means a lot more than nowt, especially if it goes well. It gives the team a little bit of belief and togetherness that can go a long way. And especially after the season we just had.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Pre-season games mean nowt. If we'd been hammered in both games it wouldn't have any bearing on how we'll do this season

Come off it, you'd have been spreading your misery all over the place.

H&V's Voice of Treason since the last Century, indeed.

GH has gone, Gregory. Get over it!

[Concrete John]

The reuslts of pre-season are virtually meaningless, as they're at best semi-competitive, but the games themselves do have use.  Firstly, fitness, then bedding in any new signings, then getting the team playing the way the manager wants.

Fitness looks decent.

Only one signing played thus far, but he looks like he's been there for years.

And the way we're playing is good.

But the main positive for me is the attitude and performances of the previously written off players.  With the small amount of new signings we need them to get back up to speed and they look like doing it thus far.