Post Huddersfield Podcast

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In Praise of George Boyd's Eyes

Now maybe fate gave us a good hand here, maybe it was all part of a plan, but had George Boyd not failed his eye test, maybe Alex McLeish may not have walked so readily. We discussed and explored before the possibility that all of this was a cunning elaborate scheme of Fawaz to scurry his way out of a costly sacking of McLeish after soon realising it as a horrendous mistake. But due to the slightly bizarre weaselling out of the Boyd deal, we have ended up in such a positive happy position that on that fateful deadline Day seemed a million miles away.

Boyd in his Forest days

The divisive atmosphere at the time was quite poisonous with many fans angry we didn’t sign a player most never wanted anyway. I remind you all that the same players we had before then are now making the need for a deal for Burke or Boyd look completely negligible. McLeish targeted the midfield as an area he needed to improve, that same midfield is now, admittedly only for 3 games or so, now ripping it up in the Championship. Yes I am getting carried away, and I don’t hide my shame in doing so.

Lansbury, Majewski, or perhaps Reid would have made way for Boyd to have to be included. Extra completion may have stifled some performance in that regard. It may have made Lansbury shrink into shell even more. Perhaps it instilled a backs against the wall mentality that a lot of the football world were decrying us for pulling out of a deal on wholly legitimate grounds.

But that day more than any made McLeish feel unwanted and in an untenable position, and save for wanting face his old demons at Birmingham, he’d have gone then and there. The team was in awful form, creativity stifled, and a general feeling of despair, coupled with Fawaz wielding his sweeping brush on all and sundry in his path.

That was all less than 4 weeks ago. People claimed we were doomed. Relegation was on the horizon, financial meltdown a possibility. A general feeling of doom and gloom. Now look at it. Playoffs discussed with increasingly seriousness, previously fringe players looking quality, and no need for any new attacking left footed midfielders who aren’t all that pacey. Precisely the opposite of Deadline Day. Even Peter Odemwingie got back on the field for West Brom, it seems like Deadline Day was a weird parallel universe not quite related to the current situation.

If, and I mean that loosely, as it was clearly the straw the broke the camel’s back, if it was George Boyd’s vision that freed us from the prospect of McLeish then I say whoever that eye doctor or optometrist or whatever he was, even if he was being told to make a dodgy report is a bloody genius. We may well have still been stuck with McLeish, and the players themselves have spoken how under Davies they have new belief, which makes you wonder what the hell Big ‘Eck was doing. Clearly he was doing something fundamentally wrong. Right now I would think we’d be 4 points worse off, putting us doing in 13th or so, but also without this good feeling, without this good form. Without the hope. Without A hope. Kudos to you, Eye Test Person. We may never know who you were, but you played an integral role in turning our season round.

Suddenly the World Seems Right Again

Another Saturday, Another win. I forgot this feeling, but its back with a bam, and I hope it’s not a temporary thing.


A month ago I’d have resigned myself to another limp defeat, concede a soft goal and just collapse, but there is new steel, new belief and new determination with Forest. Those dark days of 3 or 4 weeks ago, where we really questioned everything seem a distant memory (and more on that later).

On paper it looks like we were helped out by the red card to Yann Kormangant. My only other memory of him is his laughably bad penalty in Leicester’s playoff shoot out defeat of a few years ago. Now there’s a ridiculous silly red card too. Kicking out at Halford stretched a team further that was already on the rack. Now they were at breaking point.

And who else to be the one to make that break through than renaissance man Radoslaw Majewski, a man who also seems to love playing in South London. Well he was the one to put us in front, and could and should have had more.

In fact we could have many more than the 2 we did get. Of course Lansbury scored again, with his goals being like buses, waiting ages for one, only for two to appear. But also with Henderson hitting a post, and Ward going close with a clever flick.

Again, as I said after the previous game you could make the point that goals for the strikers are a mere trickle at the moment, but as long as the midfield are at the party we are fine. When you have the craft, guile and quality we have in that position goals will come. Reid carving out chances for others, Majewski making his name with goals, Guedioura’s constant long range risk, and Lansbury now popping up too, it means the likes of McGugan and Gillett have their work cut out to get near the team. Indeed Davies seems to prefer Greening to Gillett, who really has become the forgotten man.

Charlton fans have been quite forthcoming with their praise of us on the likes of Twitter in the last 48 hours or so, not only the tams performances but also the numbers we took with us, and now there is a much retweeted picture comparing our support, filling the away end, with the rather feeble Derby support as a comparison. By the light of the picture that was a Saturday fixture too, so there’s no excuse. But the away support seem quite robust right now, I myself have only made one away game this year, but we do seem to be taking large numbers everywhere.

With results elsewhere again going our way, namely Middlesbrough ongoing capitulation of their promotion chances, we now as close to promotion as we did on Boxing Day. Even in Billy’s day we always had shaky Januarys, so perhaps the dream is on. If we were to string together 2-3 more wins, it would look completely in the realms of possibility that we could make the playoffs. I’d argue at the moment we could take anyone on in this division.

The real test of course of will come when we do suffer a defeat or two, and how Billy picks these players back, or brings someone else in to the fold to cover for injury or suspension. Hutchinson is rumoured to be back after a lengthy lay off. Additionally it has been discussed the possibility of looking at the loan market once again, despite already having Hutchinson, Jara, Ward, Sharp and Ayala on loan. The chances of getting all 5 of them fit and in the team look remote (especially considering Ayala and Hutchinson’s recent injury record)

But overall things are suddenly looking peachy again. Onwards and upwards Forest, onwards and upwards.

Billy Is Our Saviour

Thanks again to forum member Nagash for the following graphic work (you can follow him on Twitter at @Nagash1337) with Billy being featured as our "Saviour" and the rest of the players his audience (including the al-Hasawi's)

How We Missed a Trick With Billy's Big Screen Video

Davies, before the big screen video, which I can't find any images from

I was mildly disappointed last night with one aspect of the whole match experience. It wasn’t the game, the goals, hell it wasn’t the fact we had the best performance in the John Pye Garibaldi Golden Goal Challenge yet (hard luck pal)

No, it was the fact that we didn’t follow-up Bolton’s experience with a new chapter in Billy’s Big Screen Adventures.

The Bolton game was built up by the pre game of Video of Billy giving s a rousing speech on his return, talking about his new found friendship with Fawaz and how he of course he had unfinished business. (#unfinishedbusiness)

We have missed a trick!! Why not repeat it this week, with Billy’s new thoughts after a few days.  He could tell us how trainings been going, or who he is advising and recommending this week to be signed.

Indeed, we could have themed weeks. He could don a mystic Meg wig and start giving his predictions on various matters. And in true Mystic Meg style he could have given us sneaky details on who will succeed this week.  “This week, the numbers 9 and 28 will be lucky, and the name McIntosh will be happy. Finally People from Glasgow will be celebrating”

Mystic Meg

In fact, what with Billy being far more newsworthy than Sean O’Driscoll, who’d have been rubbish on the big screen in this regard, mumbling about possession and pass completion rates, and not being nearly as famous as Billy, we could have weekly updates on what news Billy has been involved with. Whether it was East Midlands Airport bound flight updates, or Tommy Sheridan escapades, truth is life on the Billy Rollercoaster was always much more fun.  Why not even special guest appearances from his lawyer!!

We may as well get our money’s worth out of these new screens, and we all know Billy would love to be on them more often.

Cheers though Billy, it was rousing and it got the crowed going, and all joking aside it was good to see the old boy hasn’t changed.

We certainly have got Our Billy back

Six-Ual Healing

I was saving the Bolton game to be included with this, so although the title deals with Huddersfield, the main crux is both matches. But what a difference a week makes. I was a sceptic on the instant power of a change in managership, but wow, a huge change in the team that has to be simply down to management.

What is obvious following to heartening performances is that McLeish was a failed experiment and the whole thing is a huge relief all round. What wasn’t as apparent was just how much of a relief it’d be to the players. The way we played last night, and I turned to my friend and commented as such, was like the Leeds game. Right before McLeish. So what it looked like he was doing in that month or so he had control was ruin the heart, the passion and the desire. Ok, you’d expect to see maybe a change in formation, maybe a slight mixing up of personnel. But to see complete differences in people’s style, it’s remarkable.

The Bolton game saw us be more creative and makes chances galore. I initially thought the midfield set up looked all wrong, with no real defensively minded player in there to mop up, but Guedioura covered and when he got forward Lansbury or Reid or someone would cover.

We fully deserved the lead against Bolton when it came, and it genuinely felt like there could be only one winner. It was a good finish by Reid but more than that it was a quality move which he finished with aplomb into the bottom corner.

It was the old enemy though for us. Possession given away to easily and a cross with a simple finish. That goal has been conceded too many times this season, which means teams are doing their homework on us. Notably too it’s how we conceded against Huddersfield, and should have on more than one occasion as well.

Team v. Bolton

But what has changed in the belief and the drive. Under McLeish, and some games under O’Driscoll we’d have wilted, like we did against Watford. But no, in both games we didn’t allow that to happen, and although there wasn’t the time to sort it out v Bolton, though there were chances, against Huddersfield, we simply dusted off and got back at them.

And this is why I refer to the healing. It’s been like exorcism, of the previous month’s ghost. I’m not sure of the varying approaches but Billy seems to be able to coach his player’s minds. Whereas McLeish was probably drilling players on field matters and not much else, Billy gets in their heads, and makes them know they can do what they. Some say he gets that extra 10-15% out of them, but I think it’s more getting their ability out of them, whilst McLeish simple sapped their wills so they under performed.

Team v. Huddersfield

Moving on to the Huddersfield game, where simply to begin. Not only is this a sense of healing for the players, but what a galvanising shot in the arm for support is that. On a night with reduced entry prices bringing a bumper crowd, we impressed. This could see many of those come back, giving the support a boost in numbers. We usually with bigger crowds limp out in games. The crowd starts to turn quickly and there’s a bad blood, but even when we went behind it wasn’t an angry atmosphere, like we may have had under McLeish or Cotterill a year ago. No, this support waited. And got their rewards. Though the celebrations for the first goal felt kind of muted. Like half the fans were expecting the goal to be disallowed or suchlike, or just relief we hadn’t collapsed and died after going behind.

I have to say that when we 1-0 down, I was worried. I’d been running late for the game, coupled with the fact it was reduced admission which we always seem to lose. Mull of Kintyre went wrong in the build up, when the recording jumped into fast forward. All ominous signs.

There has been mixed comment on the array of scorers, with some very happy to see a whole team performance and the goals coming from midfield. Remember when we nearly made it last time under Billy, goals rained in from midfield, especially by McGugan, so to see a similar scenario now is good news. The team nature of some goals too was pleasing. Majewski’s second goal was a nice today move, culminating in a good finish. His third was just a great strike from range. Going back a moment too, Wards header from a set piece was also good to see us using set plays well, and getting the big centre halves scoring, like we used to do with Chambers, Lynch and Morgan. And those worried that the strikers have been mis firing lately.

On a personal level I was pleased for Lansbury’s goal. Not only to cap his best performances in red. But also because I have backed him to be a good player. His Arsenal pedigree and his previous promotion gaining experience made me think he’d be signing of the summer. Up till now he has disappointed, but now the fact I got him on my home shirt is starting to look justified. Davies seems to like Henri, and it was notable that Davies singled his goal celebration out and they had a personal moment together to celebrate that.

Finally, big Darius scoring helps. I’d like to have seen Cox get his goals scoring boots on again, but for Henderson to open his account with us been also important. I can see him being a late impact sub at home, and being used as a big strong target away, much liked Billy used Dele Adebola for.

All in all, very very positive movement from Forest. Not the 6 points some wanted, but still a massive stride in the right direction, and with some results going our way, the 6 points haven’t been as necessary. We are back in contention just about, and with a strong solid run, like Billy’s sides can go on, we might well be in the mix come May, which 2 weeks was frankly unthinkable.

It seems we are back to those heady days of Boxing Day. Via a very dodgy turbulent 6 week period where everything about the club was thrown into question and where we started to wonder what we were really in for. Exciting times ahead and all aboard the Billy Train. I for one am an unexpected willing passenger.

Podcast 2 Is Up

Folks, its time to download the latest Podcast with Forest 24-7, recorded with MyOnlyForest blogs Ben. Here we discuss the confirmation Billy is manager, the Bristol City Game, and the latest round of sackings



or from Youtube here

New Appointments and Sackings Indicate a Fresh Start?

Fawaz and Billy

The ruthless culling of many of the previous board level and members of staff involved in the day to day runnings of the club by Fawaz recently has split opinion. On the one hand, the likes of Sky reporter Rob Dorsett making out this was indicative of a power crazed loon in charge sacking all that questioned his view. On the other those who couldn’t care less. Clark had a trophy position; Arthur was widely disliked and most were indifferent to Burt.

However, their removal and seeming lack of new people brought in made many question why? If any of these had happened in the first 2 weeks after the takeover however, no-one would have raised an eye brow.

Now there are strong rumours of new dismissals, with the academy being the rumoured target of this round. Whether this is a reaction to Billy’s return or belief the academy isn’t producing the goods remains to be seen. The rumours need to be confirmed too as well yet.

But now Fawaz has started to bring in other people to the role, with the promotion of Bobby Downes to Head of Recruitment. Now part of me wonders if this is a reaction to the slight outcry of leaving the club without the usual management structures. However, it could also be that the club are looking to rebuild that very structure.

Bobby Downes

Is there to be a new team at the academy? Is it going to be scaled back, like at Watford? Again, we don’t know yet. I can’t see it being scrapped, maybe Billy has recommendations here too. Maybe they want a fresh start everywhere.

Part of me has been sent wondering if that Fawaz deemed the old guard had failed. The players they recruited weren’t good enough and now they want their own guys to manage this recruitment strategy. Keith Burt spoke at length earlier in the season how they already had a dossier on what players they wanted, some of the names going back 4 years, and it might just be that Fawaz has seen some of these players under perform and wanted to remove these guys who had so wanted these players. Conjecture I know.

There is also the rumour I heard that Keith Burt had fought hard to be able to bring in a youngster to the club, and when they approached the al-Hasawi’s they were unwilling to fund a large cash purchase of said youngster which had caused friction. I also saw it suggested that they were in the pockets of some agents and used them for players, rather than actually casting a net wide, that again, is purely a rumour I heard, and I claim no basis to it should it be false.

So for any of these reasons it could be that Fawaz decided to act. Maybe looking at a new direction. Looking more aboard and by that I don’t mean simply Kuwait, but look globally. Forest have by and large stayed British-based apart from Moussi and Majewski in the past, and it might be there was a lack of willing to explore global recruitment like say Wigan utilises.

What it does underline is that Fawaz does recognise this position needs to be filled. What was once a head scout is now head of an organisational tree looking at all sorts of channels of recruitment? Football truly is global now, and the club probably want to be at the forefront of this, and utilise all channels to bring in players from where they are. That might be Carlton, it might be Canada. Aspley or Albania. Mansfield, or Mansfield, Australia.

Again, I am speculating, and basing my opinion on us barely ever signing foreign players since Burt followed Calderwood to the club , which could be for a multitude of reasons, but there is a correlation.

Now I know nothing about Bobby Downes, his career and his coaching, and now his scouting. I could cite Wikipedia and claim I know all these things, but there’s one thing I refuse to do on this site is lie about knowledge. However, what he has is a chance to build a bridge with Billy in his new role and see what they can do. Billy has spoken that he accepts there are constraints and that there will be a team of people who review his recommendations. That’s fine, and you’d expect it, almost demand after his reckless spending with derby, and now we know where that might fall, rather than with Fawaz, who many blamed for the Boyd deal.

The scurrilous rumour mongering by Sky’s Rob Dorsett about what the regime was doing annoyed me. Making out it was part of the megalomaniacal approach of Fawaz, and it merely seems to me he was annoyed because he had excellent sources and contacts at the club now removed. He tried to suggest the whole fabric of the club was being changed and people were fearful of jobs, but perhaps Fawaz had seen an aged decrepit animal in Nottingham Forest, and decided to start tweaking.

Only time will tell though, if this does spell a new style and direction of scouting and recruitment. Whether there will be a focus on Middle Eastern talent remains to be unseen but will be wildly speculated by all. What it should mean is new targets and not the same old tired names being chased. That said Billy s back. Time to dust off those Peter Whittingham and Darren Pratley portfolios.

King Marmite Is Back

Forum member Forest7 gives us his thoughts

The moment has arrived – the appointment that Forest fans has craved and salivated over for 18 months has been made. A hunger has been satisfied – King Billy, or perhaps King Marmite is back.

Loved and loathed, Billy Davies divides opinion like no other Forest manager.  The efforts of the Glaswegian’s incarnation of Forest on the pitch shine amidst a terrible decade for this famous club.  Yet his boisterous and political approach makes others wary of what the future now holds.

I am in the odd position of being a neutral.  I like him more than I should do.  I cannot wait for his return, but fear the future at the same time.  Here are some of positives and negatives that follow Billy, that make him such a divisive figure and I will try to outline where I stand on them:

Relationship with the fans

I have said many times Billy has the “common touch”. Supporters love his demonstrative antics on the touchline. I personally appreciated his efforts to thank supporters after away trips – win, lose or draw, compared to the aloof McClaren or the timid O’Driscoll.  Was Davies trying to get the fans onside against the board? Maybe, but interaction with the fans is rare in today’s football.  Billy will get bums on seats as he’s the people’s choice and that is what has landed him the job once again.

Knowledge of Championship
We are now entering a bizarre era in which managers with little or no English and no experience of the English game are now getting top jobs.  New Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino had a translator on hand as he took over a relegation battle, while Juande Ramos never really picked up the language at all.  Davies certainly can speak the language, perhaps too well.  He knows the Championship, the club and some of the players very well.  And he’s no puppet either.

Backroom staff
Just as the news of Davies’s appointment broke, so did reports of David Kelly and Julian Darby leaving their respective clubs to return to Nottingham.  I wonder what it is about this difficult character that inspires such loyalty?  I can only guess that these two assistants provide a milder antidote to the explosive Davies – making them a top team.  It is great news the whole team is back and give an insight into Davies away from the microphone.

Transfers
So, we move on the negatives.  In Davies’s case some of his faults are pretty indefensible. His handling on transfers was his downfall last time.  Managing at this level requires clever signings, under the radar purchases and often a reliance on youngsters or unfashionable stalwarts like Shaun Derry or Leon Britton who know what it takes to win on a Tuesday night in January.  Davies instead targeted a range of star players from other teams on top wages.  They were unrealistic targets and the failure to land them was catastrophic.  The next window will be interesting to say the least.

Young players
Fans who follow the youth team and have the long term in mind are generally aghast at the appointment of Davies.  I can see why to a degree.  Davies showed little interest in bringing in youth players – even though our most promising players such as Matt Thornhill have largely slid into obscurity.  The most disappointing aspect of this however was some of the comments he made about youngsters such as Emile Sinclair.  They were cruel and unhelpful.  However, on the whole the failure to bring through youngsters is an issue across the English game.  Who can blame managers who are sacked after just 40-odd days if the results do not come?  In Billy’s position, it is tough to have any patience or time to develop players with Fawaz looking on expecting promotion.

Ego

Davies is of course famous for referring himself in the third person.  Always a worrying trait.  Football management is no ordinary workplace.  Faced with the task of controlling 25 highly paid young men, used to being the best of the best growing up and all wanting 11 places in the team for Saturday needs a strong character.  Often unpleasant too.  The greats such as Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson do not suffer from a lack of confidence.  Mourinho has an enormous ego and once prodded a Bracelona coach in the eye.  This is type of person that so often succeeds. Billy is cut from the same cloth personality-wise but I don’t see it being an issue with players.  He even coaxed a consistent season out of Lewis McGugan, which seems a near miracle these days!  Davies can motivate and inspire loyalty.

At 2:55pm on Saturday, 16 February the King will return. Most will acclaim him, many will cringe and some may not even attend.  For me, I am looking forward to it immensely, although once the whistle blows I have no idea where the next stage in the Billy Davies journey will take us.  At least some hope is back and really that is what football supporting is all about.  Many have claimed that the club has lost its identity and soul.  It has in a way, but the one man who came closest to reawakening it is back, even if he’s the last thing some would want on their morning toast.

Paul Severn
@paulsevern7

Billy Davies Posters

Our forum user Nagash provided the following graphic work to celebrate the return of Billy

Square pegs in round holes

 Twists and Turns

Stella Signings

The New Improved Podcast

Ok folks, me and former co-writer for this sit,and now writer of My Only Forest just recorded this, and fully intend to do this every week, if not two.You too can be involved if you like what you heard, have Skype and don't talk drivel can join in.

So please listen and all feedback is welcome. I will try to not bang my fist next week making points as it just makes annoying back noise.





and a Youtube version as apparently some Apple users can't view

A Square Peg in a Round Hole, or a Stellar Appointment

Well, if and that’s a big if the purported re-appointment of the prodigal son Billy Davies does happen then there is going to be an explosion on Twitter. The fans are split down the middle on the relative merits of this but I think most admit that it would be an improvement on McLeish.

He might not be a great fit. A square peg in a round hole to steal a phrase. But maybe he could be good at advising Fawaz and recommending. We already made some stellar signings for him in the summer, if he can do what Davies does and get the best out of players, and then I contend my fears and worries could be allayed.

Fans Divided

Where things get interesting is the relative fans views. Those who are Pro Billy are defiant in that he will succeed #unfinishedbusiness has been doing the rounds on Twitter. Those who are against the appointment concede that yes he might succeed; it’s more a personal dislike for some. Convinced that OK, it might be a good short bumpy ride, BUT, there will be a point where we go over a bump and the jolt to earth is too much for some.

Because let’s remember he is a very abrasive character. He doesn’t much like those in charge. And with a chairman that’s been characterised as a despotic loon by some it can only end one way. There is a chance that Billy might be chastened by his experiences. That his time off may have calmed the stormy temperament. Bu there’s another cliché; a Leopard doesn’t change his spots.

Last time he came in we were struggling, and a few wholesale changes later we were motoring. This time we aren’t so much struggling, but just simply can’t find the right gear. Stalling. Is he the man to get us going?



Strong Support

Well he’ll bring in the crowds and a lot of vociferous support. The vocal few who usually call for a managerial change or the chairman to go are the same type that loved Billy. So it would bring nay Sayers on side. On the other, everyone will be waiting for those cracks to re-appear.

The old issues of not being backed in the market. Issues of his commuting from Scotland. His ambition over riding his loyalty. His lack of ultimate success. If any of those re-appear then it will bring put all the nay Sayers in force.

Is he the right man for this very moment? Maybe. It needs someone who generally knows what he wants and there’s no doubting Davies is that man. O’Driscoll at times seemed to dawdle. McLeish, well we never got to know, but at the end of the day it never seemed a long appointment. Neither would this to be fair. But after a period out the game, maybe Davies will have cooled his careerist approach. A main breaking point before was the fact he made himself open to approach for other jobs. This will never sit well with anyone. After sitting out the game for 18 months he might just be grateful to be back in the game, and in familiar surrounds.



The Question of Youth Development.

Another hug element was his lack of an over view. No regard for youth development, no regard for the reserves (disbanding them), as long it is made clear this cannot be done, then we can ring fence them and stop him from destroying a lot of hard work, then maybe it’s worthwhile. But then it’s different management styles. Davies had two clear possible reasons for doing what he did there. One, he didn’t think the youth were good enough, and b) he wanted more unity by having a single first team squad. Both are possible explanations I don’t know the honest answer too.

We have an excellent crop of youngsters, before hand with Billy we frankly didn’t. None of who we released has really gone on too much. Bencherif ended up at County, Emile Sinclair is now at Doncaster after failing at Peterborough. Nialle Rodney is now at Lincoln. So that excuse might be a tad excessive.



Round Peg or Stellar?

If he can reign in his abrasiveness and actual learnt o just get along, and if Fawaz can butt out of team politics this might work. I’ve been fully converted nearly. I still don’t like the guy. I don’t like his personality or that everything is someone else’s fault. I almost feel he used to cut his nose off to spite his face. But like I say, maybe we can control that. The Transfer Panel is gone. The old enemies are gone. Maybe he can be a round peg, in a round hole, and that really would be stellar.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I swear this isn’t the first time I’ve used this title, and shamelessly ripping off a Filter title too. Anyway, we are in a sorry state of affairs tonight. The world is officially laughing at us after Alex McLeish ended his 40 day tenure as manager. Loan signings he made will have longer Forest careers. His tenure will now surely go down in history as one of the worst mistakes the club made.

So we are again managerless, rudderless and evidently clueless.  Quite what this does for a player’s mindset I’m not sure. On the one hand maybe it makes not much difference but it must be a time of confusion for a squad just getting used to one guys ideas. And as for the backroom staff too, again confusion as to what they do now. Namely Peter Grant who I haven’t seen mentioned what’s happening with him.

Was this all doomed to fail from the beginning? Probably. I was never comfortable with this appointment. For me he isn’t good enough, and he never had a large portion of fans on his side. There are rumours he was only was here as he is a Ferguson acolyte and Fawaz is keen to develop links with him. Sounds feasible, also sounds like utter rubbish. Anyway, he’s gone, many fans wanted this, but it feels to me like many of those same fans are now up in arms about the disarray, which many tried to cultivate anyway. This somewhat puzzles me. On the one hand fans want to have their say, but it appear when the chips are down, in reality, what they want after all is stability.

Now the whole sorry issue is out for all the national media to have a field day. A lot of what will be written read and broadcast will be hearsay, speculation, conjecture and more utter tosh. Some out there have an agenda. Why people insist on constantly citing Daily Mail articles is beyond me. This paper is the worst paper out there. Horrendous right wing dribble for grannies and racists, but some are lapping up what they have to say. Surprisingly about foreign ownership they aren't keen. In their early days of the Hasawi reign they were claiming all sorts, and when that was disproved came up with a new load of twaddle.

My main sources on these matters have stayed a little more removed from this. Perhaps because they don't know what’s happening, or aren’t comfortable with blind speculation I’m unsure. I am not for one minute saying what’s out there are lie. I am merely suggesting it’s an embellishment of the truth. Or perhaps because they don’t have a desire to push stories for attention, more for their accuracy and quality.

There is desperation to believe anything and the in particular the very worst gossip right now, because for some reason a panic and headless chicken mentality kicks in Someone tweets a made up rumour and before you know it’s spread like wildfire. It’s hilarious yet terrifying. This isn’t the worst state this club has ever been in. Not even the worst state it’s been in for a year. So for some to be claiming so is naive and to misunderstand the perilous state of our finances in the summer.  And never forget the state of affairs under Nigel Wray and Irving Scholar. We had to take this offer, we couldn’t wait. To wait would have been suicide as we’d had to start to jettison players. We aren’t there. Yes it embarrassing, yes it’s a mess, but we are still mid table. The playoffs aren’t out of the question.

Remember most of the uproar was because we backed out of a deal with a player many people didn't want. Ok there were promises of a few players but you have to agree deals. Fawaz was perhaps naive in his dealings with clubs. He will learn. And it will be the hard way.

And hopefully he has learnt a lesson in appointing managers here. He will take time over this appointment rather than the rather rushed McLeish one. Maybe he won’t. Maybe he will rush an appointment and panic. And if he panics, there will be one name he can pluck out the hat to try and appease fans, and hopefully make sure he can ride out a storm.

William McIntosh Davies. Regular readers know I am not his biggest fan. Ok he had successes, but his legacy hasn’t been great. Remember he was instrumental in disbanding the reserves and developmental squads. He was vocal in wanting new players and not wanting outside interference. Something he clearly won’t get here. So to call for Davies is to not look at this bigger picture. He wastes a lot of money too and a few of his signings were expensive errors. Was Adebola worth £5k a week? What about the expensive loan signing of Konchesky? David McGoldrick? He isn't the great financial wizard some make out. In his first full season we spent a lot of money on players.  .Around £4-5million and tats on fees alone. Ok, so he does appear to be a good man manager, and that might be what we need now, but he wouldn't last 40 days with this board either, unless he is really desperate for work. Additionally he has a huge point to prove. But that said he fluffed his lines before in the playoffs.

However, what other options are there? Will Adkins who has just been burned y a hands on chairman want another such deal. After the way he was treated by Southampton, which seemed very akin to O’Driscoll he would be right to have his reservations. After that, the list gets grim quickly. The top bets even include Roy Keane, who doesn’t have the greatest record.

We’ve been here all too often lately. What we need is an I’ll say it time and time again, not someone who was “Proven” because for a start they have no loyalty. They also have aloof ideas of themselves. We need a young hungry manager eager to make his mark. It worked for Norwich, it worked for Swansea. Both these managers played football too”! But who is out there? Well I’m not the expert on lower leagues I might be so I am not sure. Karl Robinson was linked before and has MK Dons doing good things. We don’t have the plethora of ex player’s names to pluck from. Laughable I have seen people seriously tweeting Martin O’Neill’s name. Not going to happen ever. He’s at a bigger club, in the top flight, and the club he supported as a boy. To think he’d come here is downright stupid. Nigel for me is still a question mark over his ability. He’s starting to show some signs of working well on a budget, but he's been blessed with a few vary talented youngsters to supplement that. Apart from that there are none likely. Psycho is a mere pipe dream.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is being linked with a quick return as a caretaker. I’m not sure. It seems a bit Joe Kinnear to me. Insofar as to get a guy in who will cheer up the dressing room as apparently Jimmy is very popular. Does he have managerial acumen? Well there's only one to find out, but do we really want an untried manager after the last time under Platt? Well maybe. Platt was an idiot, not all new managers are idiots. Hasselbaink knows the squad and knows this division now.He might work out. He has something to prove.

But what does this all mean for the club. People say no-one will want the job. But there have been far worse chairman who managers have gone and worked for. There will always be an option. Maybe a depleted field, but a field nonetheless. We need patience this time.Don't appoint the first manager you can think of. It was clear they wanted McLeish in before they even sacked O’Driscoll before maybe now it will force the al-Hasawi clan to take stock a little. Have patience. Look around, though there will be calls from some fans for a quick appointment. There are those fearing we will see Fawaz in the dugout at the next game. I don’t think it will get that far. It’s happened before though at other places. No, what we need is for them to realise this was all a mistake and to move on. Maybe the whole Boyd thing was an attempt to get McLeish to walk. Aah no, now I’m doing blind conjecture, you got me doing it too now folks.

Echoes of the McClaren Era

Oh dear. The current state of affairs is not good, nor ideal. Far from it. The question marks remain over whether Alex McLeish is going to be around long enough to see out a seasonal season rather than a football one. It’s been a little over a month since the Scot came in, and at the time that was an acrimonious arrival. It speaks volumes that any departure wouldn’t be with a braying crowd but almost a sense of understanding.

Nobody likes being in a job where they were mis-sold the specifications or the tools been given to you. That is what it seems McLeish feels like, and whether it’s the truth is another matter. But it does feel like when McClaren was moaning about a lack of funds promised.

And although the transfers are different in very large ways, Verhoek and Boyd look like similar bed fellows in impact. For Burke read Routledge, and lord knows who else.

Managers with a “pedigree” though with that tainted and wanting reprove themselves. Making a step down in their book. Failing. There is also the Villa connection. McLeish actually having the job but being hounded out, and McClaren not being offered it despite being approached because of the crowd. There are horrible connections to me all over this sorry affair.

And like McClaren it looks like it will see an early demise to a man with a Scottish surnames tenure at Nottingham Forest. Both took over from managers well regarded by a core of fans (Davies made way for McClaren and O’Driscoll of course for McLeish) Both has strong connections to Alex Ferguson the clubs hoped to play upon, but the managers tenure looks being so brief as to not take advantage of.

I currently have no doubt that McLeish won’t see out February, and even if then, he won’t stay past the summer. Yesterday seemed to be one certain benchmark date to pass. The fact he took training yesterday speaks volumes.

But McClaren stayed on past a rumoured imminent resignation. He didn’t last much longer, results were poor and he cleared off before his reputation was completely destroyed. McLeish might be currently thinking the same. Coupled with a bad transfer window where he feels he hasn’t been backed has been an awful run of results. It doesn’t exactly endear him to fans, which doesn’t make him feel wanted or loved by anyone.

So summer 2011 looks like it’s all happening again, but with different managers, a different board and a different season

What a Difference a Day Makes.

Where to Start


It was wisely once sung in a song “What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours” and nothing can be truer here. This time yesterday there was optimism. There was hope. There was a general good feeling about what would unfold. We were in for 3-4 players, and yeah maybe we wouldn’t get them all, but we’d have a good go.

Well, how did that go eh? Not very well at all might be an understatement.

It’s interesting that for a guy who barely played for the club that George Boyd has had such an impact. This has mainly been off the field. A key wedge between board and Davies was the type of signing Boyd represented. Signings being foisted upon him. Now he has an impact in a way I don’t think many of us could have foreseen.

The question of his eyesight is neither here or there. It’s ridiculous that we’d question his eyesight as a factor. He clearly has been fine thus far in his career, and save for an impending meltdown in his eyes then I can’t see it being a huge factor. But a huge new wedge between a new board and a new manager has been slammed into place.

What is apparent is that this whole sorry charade of Boyd’s eye sight is a smoke screen for the real element of what the club were trying. What that is remains to be seen (no pun intended, or maybe just a little bit)

So you ask, what is that? What is it that you think Fawaz and co were trying to do? I have my theories. There are 3 I have in mind, which vary in possibility. The one I favour is that we used it as a way to try and negotiate out of the deal and into a loan, for cheaper, and then as he’s out of contract we could get him for free. Strong-arm Peterborough into a deal they didn’t want, but felt they had no choice to do. He was already sat there, so surely just surely Peterborough would roll over and let us have him. Well no, there’s one thing about Darragh McAnthoney and that is he is strong willed.

But maybe that’s not the case, and I don’t like blind conjecture without looking at a bigger picture. So what else could it be? My second theory is that Fawaz was reluctant on this deal. Maybe he has an advisor or someone he turns to, and this person was a bit unsure about Boyd. That or the avalanche of tweets at hm when this was rumoured saying don’t sign him (ironically considering the current avalanche of tweets now we haven’t) The first hint of being able to get out the deal with a decent explanation to McLeish about why his target hasn’t been signed, and they took it.

Or finally, maybe they simply have something else, though admitted a free transfer or a loan lined up and pulled the plug with a lame excuse.

Because it is clearly a lame excuse to get out the deal, and that’s what’s annoying. We haven’t been told the truth, and the board have made an almost comical excuse to get out of this. I just worry there is more comical excuses where that came from. Maybe in Kuwait they could get away with this but in England the fans are a different animal.

Now the whole has McLeish walked question is something I’m going to wait and see the fallout from. I suspect not. I suspect he was angry, but will carry on in his post.

It will have made McLeish question why he has took the job, almost seemingly a bit like McClaren in his era. A signing he wanted, not made, and the house of cards tumbles down.

However it’s not a good time to be a Forest fan. The infighting with fans and the now quite open questioning of high up decisions is not good. I’m not saying we shouldn’t question them, but like with Doughty after awhile, it means everything they do gets questioned. Because of a few errors, it all falls under the microscope. Every decision Fawaz makes or tweets, fans will be immediately seeing and fearing the worst.

The timing of everything has been off. Since Fawaz took over it’s been frankly a shambles. It seems under Omar we had stability and progress and since Fawaz came in, it's been turmoil, strife and embarrassment. Had we made the three dismissals of Burt, Clark and Arthur when they took over, no-one would have batted an eye lid. But the timing was wrong. The timing of SoD’s dismissal after a glorious win was wrong. 2 weeks earlier and maybe people would have been a little more understanding. And now this. A lot of people had been against the Boyd signing anyway, so seeing the same people now vociferously tweeting Fawaz is odd, but also it’s because we had been led to believe signings were coming. We were promised signings, surprises and all that. #Surprise might be the new “we’re serious promotion” tag line. Something to use against them.

Had we said no there will be no more signings then maybe we’d have not been angry? But it’s the whole being misled thing that bothers most if feel.

Turbulent times ahead. Be interesting to see what Fawaz has to say.