Off the pitch next season?

[FleetFanatic]

'Off the pitch' has become 'on the pitch' during my daytime nap then.....

[Ian_D]

Quote:

White Van Nistelrooy said:

Quote:

David Holden said:

However another Charlie is going to cost good money at this may have to be to the detriment of the size of the squad and cover in other positions.

Some of the money could come from the ridculous situation where we have two full-time goalkeepers, when quite clearly only one is needed.

How many first team games will Aaron Kerr play this season???

Exactly what I was thinking yesturday. I think I'd rather have an outfield player on the bench on the same wage, and if anyhow Craig did get injured then train someone up a little bit (even if for an hour a week) to be his replacement in that match, then get a loanee for however long. OK it sounds stupid but it could kinda work <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

[Hempstead Gaz]

Aaron must be getting cheesed off warming the bench week in week out. From the little I've seen of him he looks a solid, dependable keeper. As such he needs regular first team football.

We really need a young part time keeper (Sam Mott)? to train with Craig as cover.

[jc]

Quote:

FleetFanatic said:Consider changing the club name to Ebbsfleet, with or without the United/City/whatever gets decided, IN TIME FOR NEXT SEASON. Get the ball rolling in advance & hopefully eradicate the most blatantly non-league aspect that puts people off supporting The 'Fleet.

It's amazing how, after what was simply a classic piece of Distorter sensationalism in response to a purely hypothetical statement from Brian, some people suddenly seem convinced that a name change is going to make a big difference. You mention the club's 'blatantly non-league aspect', but that's self-evidently because we are a non-league side, and a name change, beyond perhaps an initial, short-term burst of publicity, won't change much.

Anyway, from what Brian said, the name change, if it happens, will be a reactive (i.e. if one of the conditions to receiving significant sponsorship from a business is a name change) rather than pro-active move.

Quote:

Chatham Gary said:
Wake up and smell the coffee, Harry. At best we are average, at worst, embarrassing. Have we really progressed, apart from fitness, by going full time. Most indications would suggest no.

Contrast this attitude with people's positive outlook a few games ago and the difference is striking. Clearly there are deficiencies to the side at the moment, but to say that we are average 'at best' smacks of a short-term memory - the real issue is that, over a season, we're too inconsistent to be considered genuine play-off contenders, and I suspect we all knew this all along.

As for the issue of improvement, or lack of it, since the move to full-time football, one must remember that virtually every side in the division is full-time either completely or in part, and so some teams will have to accept that they will be full-time sides who are not challenging for promotion.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Quote:

jc said:

Quote:

FleetFanatic said:Consider changing the club name to Ebbsfleet, with or without the United/City/whatever gets decided, IN TIME FOR NEXT SEASON. Get the ball rolling in advance & hopefully eradicate the most blatantly non-league aspect that puts people off supporting The 'Fleet.

It's amazing how, after what was simply a classic piece of Distorter sensationalism in response to a purely hypothetical statement from Brian, some people suddenly seem convinced that a name change is going to make a big difference. You mention the club's 'blatantly non-league aspect', but that's self-evidently because we are a non-league side, and a name change, beyond perhaps an initial, short-term burst of publicity, won't change much.

Anyway, from what Brian said, the name change, if it happens, will be a reactive (i.e. if one of the conditions to receiving significant sponsorship from a business is a name change) rather than pro-active move.

Quote:

Chatham Gary said:
Wake up and smell the coffee, Harry. At best we are average, at worst, embarrassing. Have we really progressed, apart from fitness, by going full time. Most indications would suggest no.

Contrast this attitude with people's positive outlook a few games ago and the difference is striking. Clearly there are deficiencies to the side at the moment, but to say that we are average 'at best' smacks of a short-term memory - the real issue is that, over a season, we're too inconsistent to be considered genuine play-off contenders, and I suspect we all knew this all along.

As for the issue of improvement, or lack of it, since the move to full-time football, one must remember that virtually every side in the division is full-time either completely or in part, and so some teams will have to accept that they will be full-time sides who are not challenging for promotion.

That is a pretty soulless, but not unexpected response JC. As you will see from my prediction league, I too went for a home defeat. That I can put up with. What gets my goat is the inept manner of that defeat, our tactical naivity and the inability of management to change things around timeously.
Our form since Christmas has been poor, inconsistent is simply understating the problem. Take MacDonald from the team then you are left with Saunders as top scorer with 4 goals, and he hasn't played for about 6 weeks.
Fitness apart, I am having real difficulty accepting that the move to full time football has been the success that many people seem to think it has been.
I will be there for the Tamworth game, but expect the boos to echo again around an emptier stand if things do not improve.

[David Holden]

Quote:

Our form since Christmas has been poor, inconsistent is simply understating the problem. Take MacDonald from the team then you are left with Saunders as top scorer with 4 goals, and he hasn't played for about 6 weeks.

 

Are you sure about that?

[FleetFanatic]

Quote:

jc said:
It's amazing how, after what was simply a classic piece of Distorter sensationalism in response to a purely hypothetical statement from Brian, some people suddenly seem convinced that a name change is going to make a big difference. You mention the club's 'blatantly non-league aspect', but that's self-evidently because we are a non-league side, and a name change, beyond perhaps an initial, short-term burst of publicity, won't change much.

You know exactly what I meant by my comments - there's been many threads on here about the clubs image, including the current name and what's off-putting to some people. If 'it won't change much' then the club won't be risking much in doing it then!

I really don't think Brian was being hypothetical - I think it was a scrap of information put out to test the strength of feeling for and against a name change. Sure, the Reporter sensationalised it, but so what - that's what the press always do.

Why wait for a deal that tells the club to do it? Why not be pro-active, get in early and get the club nested into the Ebbsfleet image before the vultures of Gillingham and Charlton come calling. Ebbsfleet - the city, as it's being projected, will be massive - we really would be able to say to that population 'it's on your doorstep'.

Or we could wait until it's all been built and potentially miss the boat.

[David Holden]

Quote:

I really don't think Brian was being hypothetical - I think it was a scrap of information put out to test the strength of feeling for and against a name change. Sure, the Reporter sensationalised it, but so what - that's what the press always do.

 

 

That's not what he told me when I spoke to him about it.

[FleetFanatic]

Now that could be taken 1 of 2 ways:

That it wasn't sensationalism by The Reporter or that it wasn't put out to test the strength of feeling?

 

If the latter, then what was the point of putting the information out now?

Slow day for news or something?

 

I stand by my points - the club stands on an era that could be the defining moment in its history. Some of the greatest achievements have been made by having the foresight to get things done well in advance.

 

Reading between the lines, I believe that Brian and the board are making attempts to ensure that the club can take full advantage of future events.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Profuse apologies for being wrong about Jay. Of course Jacko and Jukebox have 4 each. That does not make our poor form (or adequate, inconsistent or solid form, depending how "in" with the club you are). Since xmas, I make it p11 w3 d4 l4 + the embarrassing defeat at Boreham Wood. Hardly the form of a team 'capable' of making the playoffs.

Were those boos on Tuesday undeserved?

[Hempstead Gaz]

Irrespective of what is said on here, the 'average' supporter and floating fan will and have been making their feelings known, by the eching boos and dwindling crowds.

[Stu M]

Liam's claim the players froze on the 'big stage' is perplexing. That 'big stage' attracted only 140 or so more people than Dartford's game a few days before!

[Hempstead Gaz]

Quote:

David Holden said:
I never thought I'd say this but <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I agree with Harry, we have a first team that can compete in the league and, with a degree of luck challange for the play-offs. What we need is to be able to increase the squad so that when key players are out we have the necessary back-up.

Nothing demonstrates this more than up-front where we are poor without MacDonald. Rawle and Sodje are good players but they are not going to be prolific goalscorers themselves, they will however make perfect partners for Charlie. However another Charlie is going to cost good money at this may have to be to the detriment of the size of the squad and cover in other positions.

We can really only square this circle by the use of good quality loan players, which is far from ideal I accept, but with the imposition of the transfer window, there really isn't any other choice.

So we cannot afford to increase our squad, but we can employ a full time keeper (Kerr) , Protheroe, Skinner, who only very rarely get a first team game. 2 are out on loan (Porter and Glozier), 2 are rarely seen and one keeps the bench warm. The common factor is they are all defenders

[Harry J Allstars]

First rule of building a good team, build a good defence.

 

Sorry to speak out of line a little in defence of Daish but this is well known in football management.

[Hempstead Gaz]

I agree that the defence is the first thing to build on,. this we have done. But we also have so many spare defenders we can afford to loan out 2 and not play 3, all at the expense of signing a forward or 2 on contract during the transfer window.

I'm a bit puzzled by it all, that's all, as it gives our squad a very lopsided look in favour of the defence.

[Hirsty]

Ok... a few comments here:-

 

1 ) Money - we are not a rich club & have budgeted carefully, but..if you got no cash then that dictates where you are in the grand scheme of things.We need, f possible, an injection of cash that may come from the future investment & development in the area. If that involves a new ground which can incororpate other sports/activities, then so be it. Or will you miss the Tea Hut CG ?

 

2 ) following on from above I find it strange to hear "fans" saying they are not going to watch a game again or renew their season ticket because a couple of games are rubbish ! surely that's when the team needs support most ? So by a lot of people giving up.....oh yeah...that's good isn't it....we get gates of 300 - 500 and go bust ! Quite brilliant my lord !

 

3 ) No one said it was going to be easy, and I agree with REDolent ( Strongbow for me please !), so for f*ck's sake, lets enjoy healthy conversation & debate on here, but never forget the common cause as to why we are here.

 

Keep the faith.......onwards & upwards !!

 

I thank you....

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/top.gif" alt="" />

[BustaGut]

Maybe we should jump on the olympic bandwagon and get them to build us a stadium for the future free of charge.So that EBBSFLEET UNITED can represent Ebbsfleet City. this is tongue in cheek by the way

[Hempstead Gaz]

Never fear, Hirsty, I'll still be there, still moaning for years to come.

[Hirsty]

Glad to hear it old mate.....enjoy free speech ( what's left of it !) while you can !!

 

Cheers,

 

<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/argue.gif" alt="" />

[jc]

Quote:

Chatham Gary said: Since xmas, I make it p11 w3 d4 l4 + the embarrassing defeat at Boreham Wood. Hardly the form of a team 'capable' of making the playoffs.

But it is the form of a lower-mid-table side, and so isn't a lot worse than our form over the whole season. Even teams that go on to make the play-offs will have had runs of form like that at some stage of the season. It is of course the last few games where the form has been particularly bad.

Quote:

Chatham Gary said:
Fitness apart, I am having real difficulty accepting that the move to full time football has been the success that many people seem to think it has been.

I certainly don't think that unequivocally.

Quote:

Chatham Gary said:
I'm a bit puzzled by it all, that's all, as it gives our squad a very lopsided look in favour of the defence.

We've actually got nine defenders and eight midfielders on our books at the moment, so it's not that lopsided.