The Poolie Bunker

We have to ask ourselves how Pools can be this bad in all our history we are at our lowest point ever so why is that could it be because.....

Nicky did not get the Managers job and the players did not agree with this decision.
New players like Hugill, Nolan etc are getting paid alot more money than the players from last season which has created jealousy.
When young Thornton plays he is pools best player which shows lack of effort from other players.

There has to be a Root cause for it to be this bad especially if the rumours about the amount of money that was in the budget.

When you read this you may agree or disagree but the bookies had us favourites for the league title are they ever this far wrong.

I don't think it's anything to do with Fev not getting the job, there's only a handful of them were here when he was manager.
I do think lack of fitness is an issue with some of them though. I'm sure Wild and Conlon will be all over that aspect.
Over-confidence possibly?
Lack of organisation and infield leadership?

Lots of speculation there, some of which may contain a modicum of truth. I agree with PTID however, fitness (or lack of it) has to be a factor in the poor performances and consequently results over the last couple of months. Another noticeable factor is the lack of pace of many Pools players in comparison to most of our opponents The good thing is that Messrs Wild and Colin should be able to address the above issues without finance being required. In other words, 'Get them on them thaar sand dunes' - Tony Toms' style!

Lets look at it like this.

The players are not fit which probably is valid but does that mean they carnt pass a ball correctly most of the time.

On Saturday why did almost every set piece just happen to fall in the keepers arms without him even moving.

For me it just doesn't add up losing six on the bounce anyways we hope Pete can sort it out pronto

1. Shockingly poor managerial appointment. Only Catermole could have been worse than Clark, and we were in for him as well

2. Lopsided summer recruitment. The big money went on wages for 3 forwards (Hugill, Harris and Nolan).

3. Another early season injury crisis. The defence wouldn't be half as bad if Merrick and Kouogun were playing. A leaky defence has done for Pools' self-confidence. Part and parcel of 'lopsided summer recruitment.'

Our problems are all self-inflicted and can be laid at the door of Bromby & Co and Chris Beech.

I wudent rule out different wages causing a bit of friction in the camp.
Especially when the new big Earners don't seem interested.

Whatever the reason I'm resigned to Relegation now.
Only Football.

It’s nonsense…it happens at every club and things change quite regularly at all clubs too, so are we unique…no we aren’t, it’s how it works for every club….so forget the petty envy or what might have been scenarios, you’re not paid to think…just go out and play football to the best of your ability.
Just get on with it and do your job….or …..clear off if you can’t give us your commitment.

if i remember correctly when clark got the job there wasn,t much dissent from fans. when we originally signed these players especially those we think are on good money there was no dissent there. when we had a good pre season everyones hopes were sky high. after we won our opening two games confidence reigned on and off the pitch. its great being wise after the event and things will only get better once the injured players are back with the odd right signing on top. a question nobody can answer is why do players who have had mixed careers seem to show there poor side with us and when will we find somebody elses misfit to become a crowd favorite

Expectation was through the roof…after living in a vacuum under Raj, things could on get better, much better, …..or could they…?
We started ok, but went downhill…who was at the wheel…?…because we descended into looking disjointed and then being disjointed..leaderless.
Time to restart as to what we should have started with from the beginning.

With everyone I spoke to the appointment of Clark put a dampener on things, went down like a lead balloon. Anyone could’ve seen that it wasn’t going to work, the guy’s been in “football for 40 years” or whatever he said in his presser and hasn’t achieved anything for about 20. Even after that first game no one who actually watched it was convinced. We won because Harris and Nolan scored two brilliant goals. It wasn’t because Lee Clark was some tactical marvel.

More than half of our players are probably not good enough for a promotion side, the ones who are good enough are being dragged down by the other losers. Also we look so unfit, which is down to Clark not preparing them well enough in pre-season.

I agree with some of the points raised in this thread but for me this total clusterf@ck of a season can be put squarely at the door of Bromby & Partners and Chris Beech.
Surely their remit prior to putting together a 'hit list' of targets for Landon's money was to review the existing players and see where the gaps needed to be filled.
How anyone can claim to be an experienced manager or a football consultancy firm and not do anything about the dire midfield we have had for the last 3 seasons and not do anything about it, it completely baffling and should be good resaoning for the boot.

Our midfield has made good strikers look poor and disinterested.

Mani D - Look at what he did when he got a good supply from Rochdale.
Alex Reid - Scored goals before joining us.
Danny Johnson - Was a fox in the box goalscorer before joining Pools.

Now we have splashed the cash on forward players who scored nearly 50 goals at this level last season and once again they are bit part players cos we have nothing in midfield.

Hunter - Better Centre Half than midfielder and he is not a good centre half, so what do we do make him captain.
Sheron - Grafter but not up to it
Miley - Having to do the work of 3 players in midfield and having to drop back to the centre halfs to get the ball, so has to run 30 metres before he can influence the game.
Ilunga - 1 good game in 4
Nolan - Blowing for a tug after 15 minutes, all the skill in the world but is not fit, just drifts out of games.
The one lad who looks like he can do something is Deeming and he is not our player and gets taken off by the muppets in charge and gets subbed for Bondo..!!!

Also, how much money has been wasted on Gibson, Bondo, Ilanga, Sick note Hampson, Popov is a difficult one I love his effort in games but he looks like a kid who is just excited to be there!!!

This combined with the signing of an alledged alcoholic g@bshite as a manager show that these so called experts don't know their arse from their elbows....scatter all the behind the scenes cronies and allow Wild to get some players in and get us to the dizzy heights of midtable, stick with him and back him by allowing him to decide who he wants and I am convinced he will get us in the play-offs as a minimum next year... this season is a write off already.

Landon - please scatter these 'so called experts' and allow the manager to pick who he wants for next season and you have see the fans will back you, I would hate to see the fans turn against you after you saved us from raj.

It's the hope that kills!

When Clark was first being talked about as potentially Pools' manager there was plenty of criticism of the idea. Everyone who looked up his record could see he'd had zero success for years.

When he actually got the job I imagine a fair few did what I did and decided there's no point in rocking the boat, give him a chance.

I was hoping we were going to get the Huddersfield version of Clark. His record there was outstanding and they played good entertaining football as I recall. I'm sure he was manager there for my only trip to their place when we were in Div1.
Unfortunately he's moved on and downwards since then and thankfully he himself realised he wasn't up to the job rather than hanging around until we were further in the shit and the inevitable and costly dismissal.
Regarding Bromby, Landon had to put someone in place to oversee his investment and they're his pick. It's early days still but it's not looking too bright for sure, but maybe with Wild in charge things will change for the better, let's hope so. It could be worse, we could still have Lennie and the gang overseeing things!

I suggested gentle caution but I was criticised for it, so I adopted a "wait and see" approach, if you remember.
Well I've waited and seen and it has gone from bad to worse.
Whereas there was excited optimism there is now an air of despair and even expectation of relegation has been muted.
All this reaction is to be expected as some fans tend to go from high elation to dark despair.
Like others I am genuinely worried about our current situation and keep asking myself the question....We won't go down, will we.
Our current position suggests relegation and that has to be taken seriously and I would feel a lot happier if the people supposedly running the club are told to shape up or ship out.

How about they get so much shit of the fans that they dont want to play for them!!! Rightly or wrongly, that could also be the issue!!!

They are protected by contracts.
Unfortunately we have to show more patience.

If that’s their attitude it’s shocking, fans pay hard earned cash towards their wages, any player who thinks like that should be offered a loan move. Unfortunately in football unlike any other profession you can’t sack players for underperforming.

We got the most supportive fans going.
The players only get a tad of beef when the effort is not applied.

There's clearly summit not right with the squad.

Just got to hope their 4 teams worse than us.

I agree, Kev but then I recall watching the dross week in and week out and casting a glance at the league table and that kicks out what little patience I have left to be replaced by anger.
I accept that when emotion comes through the door, sound judgement goes through the window but that's what nigh on 75 years of supporting the club has made me.
I make no apologies for that.

Years ago I used to get devastated if we got relegated.
Not really arsed now as I reckon learning how to win again in division 6 and a high possibility of Promotion is more appealing than scraping up just to go through it again next season.

And I certainly wouldn't rule out a double promotion back to the EFL.

What's the problem.
We got the 2nd best manager we ever had in this non league scene.

UTP

I think we all would like to be back in the football league, Kev. You have outlined one way of achieving that but that route is not the one for me but good luck with your suggestion.

Attracting players to Pools would become more difficult if we were relegated to the NLN.
Better to stave off relegation this season and buckle down next season.
Hopefully Wild is given enough time to get us out of this mess.
As for Bromby and Co, the less said the better, I have made my thoughts on them very loud indeed previously.
Now is the time to give our manager our full backing, he is a decent one for a change!

We’re not going down. Once Wild gets a grip and the injured players get back we can achieve mid table mediocrity

Do you read the posts on Snakebook???

Pretty much hit's all the nails flush on the head!

Have any words come out of the Chairmans mouth on this visit to town?

If I was in his position, my words would be….WTF is going on..?..

No I'm loyal to the Bunker only!

Bromby you pack of useless fuckas - The Matrix was to emulate Wrexham.

Looks like our ‘matrix’ was to cockup big time in spectacular fashion for a laugh.

that would be great if it all went to plan and id we signed players for the present and the future. only problem is the other 23 teams in that league who would love to beat pools and we,d have 46 cup finals to play. at pools its not a romantic song when sunshine follows the rain. more likely a snow storm will follow it and gray clouds become black.

I know.
But come April you could have a change of heart.

Lets stay up and get Promotion the very next season.
Memory tells me only Cyril n Pop have ever achieved that accolade.

I hope it does happen but just can't see it.

We are where we are it is what it is
UTP

More likely a change of underpants.

There is not a cat in hell's chance of me welcoming a relegation to NLN. As for underpants the Ladies prefer it when I don't wear them