The Arbroath Thread

[DUAFC]

13 hours ago, SimonLichtie said:

I can't believe how quickly things have swung in such a short space of time..... not in our league position but in terms of me standing up for Dick and everyone else being absolutely furious with him  While I understand the majority of comments, I do think some stuff does slightly show the fickleness of football fans...

Media comments/ post match interviews - Dick has exaggerated, dismissed and ignored things in his interviews for the whole time he's been our manager - it used to really piss me off 3/4 years ago but no-one cared as we were winning.... now we're struggling they seem to be infuriating everyone....... don't watch them would be my advice, it did me a world of good  

Substitutions - I think Dick's subs and tactical changes in games have always been questionable from day one and again it used to really frustrate me but I almost feel numbed to it now  If we haven't taken off our only attacking threat with 20 minutes to go then I'm delighted. In his last 50 league games for Arbroath, Bobby Linn has only played 90 minutes twice - end of season game against Morton last season when everything was done and we had a two week break before the play offs, and today. For whatever reason, Dick decided at some point a couple of years ago that Bobby Linn can't play for 90 minutes, and that's that. So, regardless of game situation, fitness situation, score, players available etc, he is either sub or is subbed. Today being different, I guess he's accepted at this stage that we just need our only real goal threat on the pitch for 90 minutes, which he would be entirely right on, but this was very obvious several months ago.

Signings wise - I'm at a total crossroads on this.... I really do sympathise with Dick (to an extent!) on this front. The amount of bad luck he's had when it comes to signings not working out/ being let down etc. in the last six months has been outrageous. He's had about 10 shit pre seasons in one when it comes to things not coming off from everything I've heard, and none of it has really been his fault. However, quite obviously, what we have signed isn't up to the level required, and ultimately he's the one who decides who signs on the dotted line. I actually think expanding our market and looking down South and in other places is an excellent idea and a really progressive way of doing things, but our execution has been rather shite.... I'm hopeful what we've put in place recruitment wise will help things in the coming windows....

At this stage, sacking Dick would be very bold in my opinion! The squad we have, regardless of how we got here, is what we have until January. While obviously the subs/ use of players has been poor, this isn't particuarly new, and I still feel he's our best bet unless we take a complete nosedive, which I honestly think is very unlikely. He should also have plenty 'in the bank' as it were considering everything he's done during his time at the club. 

In terms of on the park - I hear/ see Scott Allan getting a lot of stick..... I think he's getting progressively better, and will continue to do so as he gets fitter. Everything good going forward comes through him and/ or Bobby Linn, and longer term (January + beyond, with Allan being on a two year deal) when he is given more to work with I think he'll be excellent. Up until a few weeks ago I was rather pissed off with him - unfit, off the pace and then a really stupid sending off to keep him out and not getting matches for another few weeks. I remember back in Dick's first year he signed someone for 'big money' (at the time!) who hadn't had any proper pre season, was unfit and lacking match sharpness and was, frankly, pish, for his first half a dozen games.... I thought he should be out the team, Dick kept playing him and once fully fit and sharp he was the best player in the division for the last two thirds of the season....

Loving your work Si  !!

Any truth in the rumour your doing a PhD in "Arbroath  - The Campbell Years" ??

[Hammerafc]

So at what point do we consider his position then?

Relegated this season?
Relegated from League 1?
Relegated from League 2?

There comes a point when all managers, regardless of how many trophies they have won or how well they did the season before, are subject to being under pressure if the results on the park are not good enough.

We set our stall out last season by finishing 2nd. We can compete in this league. We can play football and challenge at the top. But this season we are playing like a team scraping around at the bottom, dreading every game as if we dont know when the next goal will come from.

End of the day the fans want to be entertained with whats on the pitch, to see the club win games and score goals. The fans will come every week to see that. If we are play dire football and the fans are ever more restless and angry at every loose pass or bad substitution then the fans will start to stay away.

Can the club afford to allow the poor on field performances ruin the work being done off field?

There is definitely pressure there and some expectations that are not currently being met but just because we finished 2nd last year doesn't mean we should have the expectation of being a top half championship side every season.

Last year was massively above expectations. The season before it went down to the last game to ensure we weren't in the relegation play offs and realistically were going to be in the relegation fight in this league.

I'm not happy with some of the tactics and team selections but suggesting sacking him is just heads gone for me.

We have been unlucky with injuries this season and being able to put the same team on the park most weeks. My main criticism is we should be playing our strikers when we need to score goals. Give them a run in the team and let them try and build some confidence.

DC is not above criticism and being held accountable but let him try and fix his mistakes.

When we were relageted to L2 under Sheerin we were willing to give him another chance due to his previous achievements and this is no different to me.

[RedLichtie86]

There is definitely pressure there and some expectations that are not currently being met but just because we finished 2nd last year doesn't mean we should have the expectation of being a top half championship side every season.

Last year was massively above expectations. The season before it went down to the last game to ensure we weren't in the relegation play offs and realistically were going to be in the relegation fight in this league.

I'm not happy with some of the tactics and team selections but suggesting sacking him is just heads gone for me.

We have been unlucky with injuries this season and being able to put the same team on the park most weeks. My main criticism is we should be playing our strikers when we need to score goals. Give them a run in the team and let them try and build some confidence.

DC is not above criticism and being held accountable but let him try and fix his mistakes.

When we were relageted to L2 under Sheerin we were willing to give him another chance due to his previous achievements and this is no different to me.

I am not calling for his head right now.

I am asking at what point do we consider his position?

Are we willing to accept relegation just because he of what he has achieved in the past. And if we are relegated and he stays on but find ourselves struggling in L1 do we just shrug and accept it because its Dick?

[keptie]

25 minutes ago, RedLichtie86 said:

I am not calling for his head right now.

I am asking at what point do we consider his position?

Are we willing to accept relegation just because he of what he has achieved in the past. And if we are relegated and he stays on but find ourselves struggling in L1 do we just shrug and accept it because its Dick?

If we are relegated and he is still here, he will not survive if we are struggling in league 1.

[Smokerson]

Wouldn’t be looking to Do anything with the manager unless we were struggling in league 1. 
 

One poor quarter to a season does not merit a manager losing his job when the previous 5/6 seasons have been great. 
 

Would need to have a very good replacement in mind also. Only have to look at Forfar and Brechin to see what happens when you have a series of poor appointments. Dick not getting any younger so would be good to see him leave off his own back when the time is right. Stewart Petrie would be the man if and when that happens.

[clashcityrocker]

Leigh Griffiths is currently training with Livi, but is without a club - he is a free agent and available with no transfer fee involved.

I think we should roll the dice, offer him a short contract until January and give him an opportunity to put himself in the shop window, while at the same time reviewing things if he is playing well.

His recent spells with Dundee and Falkirk never worked out, but he is only 32 years old and an ex Scottish internationalist with a proven record of hitting the net.

He has made mistakes off the park, but says he has learnt from these mistakes.

Lets roll the dice, get him involved and see if he has any of his old magic left - or we can continue to lose games with such fine margins due to not having a striker.

 

 

[Tattie36]

Some of our fans have lost the plot. I can’t believe some seem prepared to accept the very real possibility of relegation just because it’s Dick.

What happens then if we go down and he decides to walk or retire? which I think would be a very strong possibility. He is approaching 70 after all. How much longer does he realistically have left in management? Shouldn’t we actively be looking at a replacement soon anyway?

As I’ve said before, my personal line in the sand for big improvement would be the Cove game but I would happily give him until half way so long as we pick up at least another 8-10 points by then.

I desperately want him to come good and turn this round but there’s not much sign of that happening. Say what you like about injuries suspensions, bad luck etc, none of that forces him to play no strikers… strikers that he brought to the club.

Said it already but yesterday was possibly his Craig Levein moment. To play no striker/s in a must win game (yet again) is inexcusable.

[lichtgilphead]

Between Bert Henderson's last promotion-winnig team (1971-72) and Dave Baikie's promotion winning team in 1997-98, Arbroath were relegated twice & never promoted. We went through 12 managers between Henderson & Baikie, including 3 in a year in 1994.

Do we really want to get back on the managerial merry-go-round just because Dick has had a poor season so far?

[lichtiekev]

Dick is the manager and fully deserves the brunt of the blame for the problems this season, just like he deserved all the plaudits last season, he has been great for arbroath and he 100% deserves the chance to turn it around, 

He has made bad decisions in the transfer market and I'm sure he knows that, 

I think the frustration from fans is is warranted, seeing Fosu coming on for an injured defender when we have Hancock on the bench of so confusing, it shows he didn't trust Hancock In defence, but then he brings him on later in the game when we are pushing for a goal? Then bringing Corfe on over Hilson or Shanks is ridiculous, 

[Tattie36]

11 minutes ago, lichtgilphead said:

Between Bert Henderson's last promotion-winnig team (1971-72) and Dave Baikie's promotion winning team in 1997-98, Arbroath were relegated twice & never promoted. We went through 12 managers between Henderson & Baikie, including 3 in a year in 1994.

Do we really want to get back on the managerial merry-go-round just because Dick has had a poor season so far?

Good points and no way do we want to go back to that. However in my time as a fan, I can think of two times when a manager was given a full season too many due to past success when it was obvious we were struggling - Sheerin and Bert Henderson himself.

Also Dick has been our longest serving manager since Henderson so you can hardly say him leaving would be a managerial merry go round. Everything has to end eventually and I fear (desperately hope I’m wrong) that his time is very nearly up.

[ecto]

31 minutes ago, clashcityrocker said:

Leigh Griffiths is currently training with Livi, but is without a club - he is a free agent and available with no transfer fee involved.

I think we should roll the dice, offer him a short contract until January and give him an opportunity to put himself in the shop window, while at the same time reviewing things if he is playing well.

His recent spells with Dundee and Falkirk never worked out, but he is only 32 years old and an ex Scottish internationalist with a proven record of hitting the net.

He has made mistakes off the park, but says he has learnt from these mistakes.

Lets roll the dice, get him involved and see if he has any of his old magic left - or we can continue to lose games with such fine margins due to not having a striker.

 

 

So is Mark McNulty and Dylan McGeoch, also possibly time to see if we can make peace with Nicky Low, we are a far better side with him in it

[lichtie23]

14 minutes ago, ecto said:

So is Mark McNulty and Dylan McGeoch, also possibly time to see if we can make peace with Nicky Low, we are a far better side with him in it

The Low relationship has been totally severed. And from what Iv heard the club were right to do it 

[SteveTheLichtie]

12 minutes ago, ecto said:

So is Mark McNulty and Dylan McGeoch, also possibly time to see if we can make peace with Nicky Low, we are a far better side with him in it

Low won't be back. 

Also not too sure if the club can afford to be relegated this season. If we are still well within a relegation battle at the start of January I can see the board making moves.

[AFC360PUNK1320]

Well where do i start with yesterdays game?

First of all i thought we played well with some excellent displays from Oakley, Little and Hammy until his crazy tackle in the box.

BUT DC's subs were bizarre to say the least, when Bitsindou (who had a good game) got injured why not just do the sensible thing and put Hammy in the centre and bring on a proper left back in Hancock instead of moving numerous players out of position?

We are then chasing the game and NEED A GOAL and we have THREE FORWARDS on the bench (SHANKS/ISIAKA/HILSON if he was injured then he should not have been on the bench so i take it he was fit) YET UNBELIEVABLY he brings on Corfe lol who me and many others have stated is not good enough at this level and although he can maybe do fancy flicks he is a very poor signing but what really gets me and others HE GIVES NO EFFORT AND DOES NOT RUN OR CHASE FOR THE BALL FOR HIS TEAM MATES FFS!!

IMO DC does not deserve to be sacked after what he has done for the club and deserves a chance to get us out this mess but he is losing a lot of the AFC fans faith and his stubbornness of never accepting he has made mistakes (as he blames everyone else) is starting to pee a lot of the other AFC fans off.

I have said it before and i will say it again DC does not have a plan B, if he was after big singing strikers for this season he should have had a plan B in place if he was not going to get his first choice strikers so should have signed the likes of Sammon from Falkirk (experienced and knows the Scottish leagues and has scored 6 goals for Alloa this season) or dare i say it even Hester (although he does have a Court case looming) or at least somebody as the vast majority of his South of England signings are simply not good enough and his statement "I only sign players better than what i have got" is now laughable.

Where we have come as a club on and off the park in recent years is superb and we had another great crowd, our last 3 home games our attendances have been nearly 1,700, 1,600, 1,700 is superb but not winning games or scoring goals is going to lose a lot of new fans and the blame is 100% DC's fault and he should hold up his hands and admit this.

I will 100% support my club and the Manager but he needs to fix his mess and should have spent his big budget for the likes of Scott Allan on a player we really required i.e. a striker like Simon Murray/Anton Dowds/Jack Hamilton.

C'Mon the Red Lichties, 36-0.   

       

[RedLichtie86]

[clashcityrocker]

Regarding the strikers on the bench not getting game time, with the exception of Hilson ( who I assume in carrying a knock) they have all failed to deliver when given an opportunity, so perhaps this is why they never got on the pitch - how many chances do you give them ? Also, Shanks was signed as a development player, he is not ready for playing in the Championship - if we secure 2 decent strikers, I am sure he would get put out on loan.

It's frustrating, a combination of injuries, suspensions, deals falling through, players leaving and a few signings not being suitable - along with wrong decisions has costs us points.

However, Dylan Tait, Oakley, Bitsindou and Scott Allan have all been good signings.

If Leigh Griffiths is willing to reduce his wages to get his career back on track we should go get him - time is not on our side to dilly dally around waiting for strikers in the January window.

Edited October 30, 2022 by clashcityrocker

[Mon eh Ton]

9 minutes ago, clashcityrocker said:

If Leigh Griffiths is willing to reduce his wages to get his career back on track we should go get him - time is not on our side to dilly dally around waiting for strikers in the January window.

I think his brief stint playing in Australia overlapped the end of the transfer window in Scotland, so he can't register for a club here until the next transfer window.

[RedLichtie86]

Just imagine the chaos if we end up with a Goodwillie / Griffiths front 2.

[Lichteeeeee]

23 hours ago, RedLichtie86 said:

23 hours ago, Lichteeeeee said:

Is that the same level we will be next season?
Is that a brass neck you have?

Your point is?

why you still whine at players who are no longer with us?

[RedLichtie86]

why you still whine at players who are no longer with us?

Yawn.