Quote from: Chris Smith on July 27, 2011, 09:59:03 PMQuote from: brian green on July 27, 2011, 09:38:18 PMI 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.
Quote from: brian green on July 27, 2011, 09:38:18 PMI 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.
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.
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.
Quote from: Bren_d on July 28, 2011, 08:49:19 AMOne 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.
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.
Quote from: pauliebentnuts on July 28, 2011, 09:06:40 AMQuote from: Bren_d on July 28, 2011, 08:49:19 AMOne 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.
Quote from: Bren_d on July 28, 2011, 09:26:17 AMQuote from: pauliebentnuts on July 28, 2011, 09:06:40 AMQuote from: Bren_d on July 28, 2011, 08:49:19 AMOne 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
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.
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