The Poolie Bunker

Total Amateur

https://x.com/dannyhufc/status/2048048731715485854

He's been so bitter in his interviews, the club don't owe him anything, its a job and he gets paid for it.

Yeah this was er... something. Onwards and upwards. We'll learn a lot about Landon in the next 3 months.

Not as gutted as those of us, against our better judgement went Nicky. 2 shots on target with another heartless, gutless, mind numbingly boring performance.
Who in their right minds would have the mobility restricted Walker, Oliver, and Ferguson on the pitch at the same time?
Today was a great showing of NFs ineptitude and why he's not ready for the managers job at our club.

Lives in a fantasy world of his own.
Must of declined the offer to stay at Pools. Says he won't be here next season as well as a lot of the players.

Ungrateful not nice person.

Great news

He’s thrown the club under a bus telling people about next seasons budget. The agents of any players we want to sign will be upping the price straight away … muppet !!

Its a good job muppets wont be doing the recruitment.

Where did he say this?

He said in that interview that we’ll have a bigger budget that hopefully will be able to compete more with the top clubs.

Overall, his interviews since the news came out that he would be stepping down have been awful. Sounded increasingly petty, disinterested and pissed off. Initially thought it was a good move to give him until the end of the season, but the way he has conducted himself in recent interviews we should’ve just cut ties and gave it to Lids for last 3 games.

Everyone takes getting the sack differently, However he is/was employed as a figure head of Hartlepool United and as such be expected to conduct himself in a professional manner.
His last 3 interviews have been far from that.

Made a decent living at the club for around 12 years, had a testimonial, had his coaching badges paid for and now he’s bitter and twisted. Grow up Nicky, you’re sounding like a spoilt brat.

Whilst ‘sacked’ he is still at Pools but as yet we don’t know in what capacity, the next few days will tell as and when hopefully a new manager is appointed.

His record is ok but his set up of the team is not easy on the eye. I will say what I have said throughout his tenure and others no teams in the football league set up
Like he does unless it’s a one off game in a cup tie against much higher opposition . Football is an entertainment sport and is about scoring goals . On a positive front the position we ended up I think 9th is an improvement

I reckon he's dug his own grave regarding becoming a Manager again.
Probably end up at Hull coaching the kids if he gets lucky.

Anyhow I'm going for a New Manager announcement on Thursday. UTP

think we all expected the budget to be bigger than a raj one. its hardly ground breaking national league news. his last dew years at the club has seen him gone down in the estimation of the poolies that rated him. doubt his phone will be going non stop now he is out of work. it wasn,t last time and he had to creep back.

He thinks he's hard done by FFS!!
The reason he's not getting the job is because he doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve it for his appallingly negative style of football, his ridiculous tactics, substitutions, his predictability, lack of motivational skills, lack of man management skills (throwing players under the bus), lack of an ability to be honest and recognise his own failings, and given yesterday's team selection and tactics a total lack of respect for the fans.
Performances like we got against Gainsborough, Anstey, Wealdstone, Aldershot, Boston yesterday all being more the norm than decent ones like against Carlisle at home and Rochdale away.
Given that the season was dead before yesterday's game for both sides, the large away following in party mood, there was an opportunity to go out and have a real go at them and to entertain the crowd, give a few of the promising youngsters some game time and go out on a high. But no, Smith in goal FFS, the same tired and dull players and tactics, the same predictable substitutions, only 2 shots on target, etc with most supporters going home hugely disappointed but relieved that we've come to the end of his time in charge.

lets say those making the journey down for a 12.30 ko with some doing there best for a worthwhile charity deserved much more than a type od side we put out to lose cup and trophy matches.

I think you should have been interviewing him,Spot on.

I was there yesterday and was as disappointed as anybody at the line up but then reflected that if I was in charge I don't think I would have risked McNally or John, given that the only thing at stake was pride. If we needed the three points then I probably would have done. Imagine the furore if one or both were seriously injured with nothing at stake. Sinclair I was told was on maternity duty as his wife is expecting. I couldn't find out why Hayes was missing and groaned at the appearance of Smith but in fairness to him he did ok for the majority of the game and made two excellent saves. The inevitable happened, as it usually does, in that Parkes was injured early on which left us exposed. Whoever was responsible for recruiting Walker, Ferguson and Hayes wants their bumps feeling and you can stick Johnson in there as well.
No I'm not a Fevs lover nor do I think he should be manager but the club have presided over a lack of strength in depth all season and have never tried to rectify that problem. Fevs is his own biggest enemy but can't see it but it would have been easy for him to include Mac and Cam but taking the precaution he did I think can be classed as being sensible.
Sway ran his bollocks off and I wouldn't be against him being recruited on a season long lone.
It is now all dependent on Landon.

the mention of the lad Sway got me thinking. why or how is it players who have loads of energy stand out a mile in a pools team. surely giving 100% and having and showing energy was the basic requirement in a player before you started looking at other things they have got. we nee lads like him who will turn up on a tuesday night down south at wealdstone as well as for a game against a top side at home or nearby.

I thought Smith done ok yesterday, he certainly didn't look any worse than Hayes has. Most of our recruitment has been shocking and I can't wait to see the back of Johnson,Walker,Ferguson,Oliver, Hayes, Folarin, and Holohan!

Where's Okike? Remember that kid that Fev bigged up as being a huge talent and we were lucky to get on loan, the lad that had loads of energy and scored with his first ever touch in Professional football?
Why not bring Stevo and the other youngsters back and see if they're prospects or just duds?
Why persevere with proven duds in the squad, when others never get a chance. Smith made 2 standard saves look good and wasn't at fault for any of the really well placed shots that resulted in the 3 goals against, but his kicking was comically bad. So why not try the kid who was on the bench?
It's as if Fev was giving us the final bird.
If he needs a hand clearing his office there'll be no shortage of volunteers to help.

The only time that has worked at Pools, was under IOR- with Tubby Turner - though he was Director of Sport -
so ALSO responsible for Table Football, Bar Billiards, Darts (Yorkshire board- no trebles), Shove Ha'penny, Tiddlywinks, Skittles & Dominos, (our very own Fred Truman) when Danny Wilson was Manager.

Ahll See Thee!

Wrong thread

And it's Ah'll si thee.

Didn’t really work work, Wilson left as did Turner after he replaced Wilson.

He had his golden opportunity and fluffed it.
End of.

Yessum, he's asked for all he's got and only has himself to blame but most people want to scatter the squad he had so his toolbox was a bit bare and the people responsible for amassing that squad want tom ducking. One thing for sure if they don't scatter the majority of that squad there will be hell on.

Not defending Fevs but that Toolbox did not improve when the half - season tickets went on sale.

The let's have fun going for the play-offs turned out to be a fakeish statement to generate some Xtra cash and it worked well until the last home attendance.

The only way is up surely.


UTP.

End of an era...

It's got to be Kev.

But he said he'd only bring in players to improve on what we already had, then brought in Okike, Caron, Sway but hardly gave them a kick after bigging them all up when they signed.
What is the point of sending our kids out on loan then bringing other kids in to mainly sit on the bench?
The guy is a buffoon of the highest order when it comes to management.
From his latest interview it looks like he's likely to stay with the club as he says things like, we will improve, we'll have a better budget, etc etc so I'm assuming the penny has dropped that he's not going to be inundated with offers for his services (hence the we, rather than the club). Wonder what he's been offered?

He's now not the manager Mr P, you've got what you wanted, you don't have to keep putting the boot in. Or do you want him strung up on a gallows in the centre circle.
We move on.
After the number of managers we have got rid of one would think that we are experienced in the matter.
There'll be another along soon enough for you to get your teeth into, don't worry.

Actually if you go back to Fevs appointment till the end of the season announcement you'll find I was supportive of him, so I wasn't always a critic. But as with all managers, they leave and usually due to short-comings of their own making rather than for better things. I'd have liked nothing more than for him to have been a success as that would have meant the club was doing well.
It's not a matter of me wanting to get my teeth into any of them, I've wanted every manager in my lifetime to have been successful. I live in hope, again, that the next one is and he'll get a fair crack of the whip from me.
Yes he's gone as manager, but so has Hartley, Sarll, Challinor, Lee, Phillips, and the king pin that was Raj has gone too, are they all off limits for discussion too?

do not think a single fan wants any manager or a player to fail. its detrimental to the success of the team they support if that happens. fans just get flustrated by lack of real success which give the impression that they have some axe to grind with the manager or others at the club. If by some miracle we are 4 points clear of the rest after 45 games next season somebody will still have a go at somebody at the club and others will agree.

I maybe reading too much into your posts mate but it comes across as you're not just happy at getting rid but want to put the boot in as well.
As for discussing past employees or owners of the club, go ahead.
It could be argued that whilst Fev's tactics etc are not what the fans want to see and that is also my stance, the fans also want rid of the majority of the squad because they are not up to the standard required to get us out of this league. BUT he nearly got us to the play offs with that "not good enough squad". Did he work a miracle getting us where we are??? Quite a few fans think so.
As Kev has pointed out, Landon said let's have a go at the play offs and have fun doing it and that message got fans reaching for their back pockets to buy into that idea.
I said at the time that LS had to produce a wow factor or two and the increased revenue from the mad dash to buy half ST's would help fund it.
Nobody expected Fevs to get to the play offs with the squad he had, there was no strength in depth, we all knew that injuries and/or suspensions would scupper our chances. He needed help and in one of his interviews at the time he stated quite categorically that he needed help.
Did he get help, was the squad good enough to do the job, did the so called recruitment team get behind the idea put forward by LS ????? I don't think so.
The first priority in my book is to get out of this league, whoever is the manager. To do that we have to amass a bundle of points, Fev's attempt fell short of the minimum required but his effort balanced out over a full season gives us over 70 points which, in previous years would have been enough. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH A SQUAD OF PLAYERS THE MAJORITY OF WHICH THE FAN BASE WANT RID OF AS INCAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB.
However whilst Fev was trying to amass enough points with a squad deemed incapable he was getting pelters from us the fans for drab unentertaining, negative and inconsistent performances. Isn't that what you get from incapable inconsistent performers and isn't that what we actually did get.
Did he get any help to create a "have a go and have fun" squad to achieve that from the owner, Lennie Lawrence, Joe monks or the recruitment team.
Points are the sole target to get out of this league and we have to use every angle open to us to get them and if that means sacrificing the pretty stuff then so be it.
We failed to get to the play offs and if we are to proportion blame we have to look at a list a lot bigger than just the manager's name.
Raj had a collection of sacked/rejected managers and within four months LS has had his first. Are we forever going to play on the managerial merry go round or are we going to widen our horizons.
Over to you Landon.

Not at all, I wish him well for the future. I wanted him to do well but I actually believe with a bit more of an adventurous mindset we could have scraped into the play offs, weren't we only 4 points adrift when he took over? And I'd have been praising him for getting us there and calling for an open top bus parade.
Hence I'm hugely frustrated at another wasted season, and the wasted time and money I spent on Saturday to be rewarded with a starting line up, tactics, and a performance which frankly was a piss take for those who travelled. We are the ones who have a right to feel bitter and cheated, I don't think he has.
Anyway, as KPG tells us, it's onwards and upwards from here.

I too spent good money and there were two of us (my wife came as well) and we really enjoyed the day, especially the atmosphere and response to what is a very good cause.
As I mentioned earlier I was disappointed at the line up but my response was to try and find out the reasons for certain players being "missing" before I reacted.
In his pre match interview Fevs stated that Mac and Cam were doubtful and the decision not to risk them on a game that, although we wanted to win, didn't have much riding on it, I think that was a sensible decision and agree with it. The biggest disappointment for me was the absence of Sinclair but when I was given the reason of him about to become a father I fully accepted the fact that his good lady needed him more than I did. The goalkeeping change has not been fully explained as yet, unless I've missed that one.
I firmly believed the decisions were made in good faith and with the best of intentions and the fact that Fevs was gutted at being without those players was eminently evident when Fev explained it.
I thought Sinclair would have ripped Boston's defence a new one but he was needed elsewhere.
Our capability was diminished by the injury to Parkes and the presence of Walker and Ferguson, highlighting once again our lack of strength in depth.
I think this is a fair account of the proceedings, obviously reliant on information being correct and circumstance being considered in the best interest of the players concerned.
I would venture to add if I was Fevs and was informed my tenure as manager was over with three games to go I'm not sure I would have been available for those three games. That however is a personal thing.
I understand that other roles within the club are being considered for Fevs but if they are football related that could bring problems for the new manager, if he wants his own men. I think some of the decision making over what has happened or is happening is open to questioning.
Maybe the best scenario for all concerned would be a clean break........maybe.

Derwent - you raise some good points, but for me the lack of attacking intent when Featherstone had a 'free hit' and an outside chance of making the play-offs was the nail in his coffin in my view.
The excellent display against Carlisle when we had a real go and played fast progressive football was surely the blueprint, but no he still insisted on playing a lone striker up there against 'lesser' teams. Then there was the whole issue of Francis, I know we will not know the details of what happened but him and Sinclair on either side would have tore most defences apart. The manager is supposed to manage players and Im pretty sure he could have been disciplined and kept in line by a good manager and not a manager who want to be eveyones friend. A full clear out is needed in my opinion including the clowns who thought that signing Walker, Johnson and Holoahan would be a good idea. Walker was one paced when he was young!

So do you Mr B and as I've said Fevs is his own worst enemy and I'm not defending him, nor do I prefer him as manager and I would leave it up to the next manager as to whether he remains at the club.
However I do believe in fair play and, as you say, a clear out is needed and our demise this season is not just a problem with fevs but the rest of the hierarchy in the club have to shoulder some responsibility as well. Recruitment has been woeful and you have rightly named some of them. There has never at any time during this past season where anyone could even suggest we had strength in depth.
The fact that he managed to get us to 68 points with what he had is worthy of note and next season we have to beat that or the next incumbent is a dead man also, is he not???? The minimum requirement has been set.
We have to be fair here. We can't say there has to be a massive clear out because with this squad we're going nowhere on the one hand and then kick Fevs to death for not getting a woeful squad into the play offs on the other hand.
If LS had followed up his "let's have a good go at the playoffs and have some fun on the way" with three or four decent signings, we might be having a different conversation over the future of Mr Featherstone. The fans responded to Mr Smith's message, I think it is sad that he didn't respond to his own message and at least make an effort to strengthen the squad.
I guess we'll never know and now what has happened has happened and we move on.

I hear a lot of what you're saying Derwent but I think reference to managerial merry-go-round in relation to Landon is a bit of a stretch.

Let's say you spend a lot of money on acquiring a business in a sector you openly admit you don't know as much about. You then finance a respected consultancy to come in & observe your operation. They identify a very good standard leader to come in and run your new business, someone the fans are going to get excited about as part of your new business plan. Are you ever saying no to that?

I think the recruitment afforded to Featherstone in the 'play-off push' of this season was terrible. Aside from Sinclair, none of them a jot of difference or really carried much pedigree into the purported assault on the top 7. I definitely question that, because it seems odd, UNLESS the season was already written off when he walked in the building. Was play-offs and have some fun just lip service for the fans whilst Phase 1 plans really got into firm proposals.

I think Smith 100% does right in showing some bottle by binning Featherstone. Smith now gets the opportunity to carve his own Hartlepool United & with that, removes hangers-on from the Raj reign. Feaths had a good go & leaves a club legend but he's not the answer for a club that is going to try and put a near decade of averageness behind it to try & become the next York/Rochdale/Notts/Stockport et al.

A lot of this is based on the hope that Smith will install a very good option as manager & that we will finally put years of poor recruitment behind us with the support of Bromby & co. Add to that - us putting very good players on good contracts so we're not losing our best players for free season after season. That's one of the biggest things that has put us deep in this mess. It all depends what happens next - but I have a more faith than I did - that Landon Smith can level things up.

I am not saying no to anything that is intended to improve the club and I hope LS gets it right, as you do.
As for changing managers it is a fact that LS has taken less than four months to sack his first. That is all and what I said is true. It has happened.
The rest of your post tells me that you and I are on the same page.
We shall see whether our hopes, ambitions and anticipations are fulfilled.

I think if Fevs had been allowed to bring in who he wanted in January, He would have still used the same formation/tactics with more than likely the same results.
He didn,t have a plan B as far as i could see, He was not the way forward for me.

"We shall see whether our hopes, ambitions and anticipations are fulfilled”

Not having a pop, But if LS had not come in the above sentence could not be fulfilled.
I believe Raj had, Had enough. And seriously think we would have been in danger of folding.

Obviously you are correct and I also thought that Raj would eventually pull the plug if no suitable (to him) bidder came along.
After supporting the club for 74 years I reckon I've seen just about every scenario possible and what I have learned is to take note of what new owners say but more notice of what they achieve or otherwise. Every single one can talk a good game and LS so far has made positive noises and as I've said before I'm on a wait and see. I'll give you a more informed opinion as events unfold. The significant path will be, the Manager, Squad formation, the first ten games and our situation at Christmas.

I agree, I think Raj had just about had enough, and at the end of the day wasn't / couldn't going to increase the funding so we've got the new owner most were wishing for.
Wrt Fev, I totally agree the squad wasn't the best but I will never accept that he got anywhere near the best out of them. I also think that Lawrence probably had a bit too much say in 1st team matters and the approach to games - both Fev and LL bigged up the opposition in pre-game interviews, and to be fair they both set up the team in the main to keep clean sheets (not bad tactics in the days of 2 points for a win but shocking especially at home in the present 3 points for a win times), and both seemed to have no plans B for when it went tits up.
Hopefully Fev learns and improves and goes on to be a success.

Yeh but I think the trial of Fev as a manager is incomplete. Only two people managed that squad of ours, Fev and SG and of the two Fev edges it on average points per game and SG is no mug. SG had a bank of experience to call upon whereas Fevs had none and yet got us from 18 to 68 in 32 games. Managers like their own squads and we'll never see a Fevs squad play for us. Some would say that's a blessing but we could have had a glimpse if LS had just had the urge to give him a mini budget and said, use that to have a go at the play offs. If you succeed the job is yours but if you don't we'll look elsewhere. What would that have cost him considering the extra revenue that the half season ticket bounce would have given us.
When LS saw what the fans response was he must have thought, crikey I've done virtually nothing yet and look at the response.
I think LS missed a trick there and I'll take that thought to my grave.
He may do really well and I sincerely hope he does. H
He comes across as a successful businessman but top businessmen see an opportunity and grab it, for reasons best known to himself he passed on it. I'd love for him to reveal the reason to soften my nagging doubts.
He says let's have a go for the play offs and have some fun but then expects that to happen with a squad that most people think is not good enough and should be scattered. It just doesn't make sense to me.
I can't help thinking that when he said that , surely Fevs said we'll need three or four quality additions. Most of us would have said that. What would have been the home crowds then. Ah well never mind.

You could actually say we've had 3 managers this season - SG, NF caretaker, NF manager. If he could have continued the form we showed as he was caretaker, and imo the football was improving game after game, we could have been comfortably in the play offs. But for some reason the ultra negative defensive set up and football came with the permanent appointment, wonder why that was that?

Aye were all waiting, Just think we deserve the rub of the green and this may well be it.
Even so we will still be here regardless.

Your comments in respect of LS not grabbing the nettle are spot on. He already had the fans on his side, he had a reasonably efficient manager in place in Feaths and a squad that probably only needed two or three quality additions in order to make a real push for a play-off place. However, all of that is now history and LS has a huge decision to make in appointing the right man. With one or two exceptions I for one am underwhelmingly not whelmed with the names being bandied about recently. I certainly would not want to be in his position.