East Fife vs Dumbarton

[Cosmic Joe]

Jim Duffy and Barry Smith are a very decent management team. Not too sure about the players they have to work with. 

[FifeSons]

5 minutes ago, Cosmic Joe said:

Jim Duffy and Barry Smith are a very decent management team. Not too sure about the players they have to work with. 

They only have themselves to blame for that.

[The Moonster]

6 hours ago, Cosmic Joe said:

Jim Duffy and Barry Smith are a very decent management team. Not too sure about the players they have to work with. 

They fucking signed all of them. They are two footballing dinosaurs and their tea is oot.

[BallochSonsFan]

6 hours ago, Cosmic Joe said:

Jim Duffy and Barry Smith are a very decent management team. Not too sure about the players they have to work with. 

No they're not.

Duffy tends to do well enough with other people's players. Always seems to be the new manager bounce with him. Couple of seasons later and his team's struggle. He's poor at squad building and very slow to try to change from negative tactics.

[Bring Back Paddy Flannery]

7 hours ago, Cosmic Joe said:

Jim Duffy and Barry Smith are a very decent management team. Not too sure about the players they have to work with. 

Maybe in some sort of parallel universe where football is judged on how eye bleedingly awful you are, how utterly shite the players are you sign and how pathetic you’re attempts at survival are.

Duffy should have been oot on his arse long ago. I sincerely wouldn’t wish his awful brand of football, his dour faced interviews, his lack of fan interaction, his revolving door of awful signings or his weekly pathetic defeats on any club in Scotland. Hopefully when he leaves he’s never allowed to subject supporters of another club to what we have been getting served up for the last 2 years. 

As for Barry Smith... lol.

[Jordo1872]

11 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

Robert Jones always takes plenty of stick. So lets start with him. He's a defensive forward; he'll defend from the front. He did that well against Aberdeen and Falkirk. But we went out to attack the game today - and he's not the guy you need when you're actually trying to get yourself on the front foot. In short, he will not score goals.

I agree with pretty much all of your post Jan with the slight exception of this. Although I know the point you are making the basic facts here is that strikers are on the park to score goals. Defending from the front is all good and well but I would say Jones isn’t even particularly good at that.
 

Running around closing down space with no end product doesn’t cut it for me. He’s a big player but his hold up play should be better and his heading ability is poor. His work rate is good but that’s the bare minimum expected from any footballer. He’s simply not good enough for this level. 
 

I’m at the stage now where I’d prefer we go with players out of position up front that persist with Jones and the ever fading Wilson.

[Howlin' Wilf]

12 hours ago, Jan Vojáček said:

If that performance had been from September/October then I wouldn't have been too concerned. We created a good number of chances (which we then managed to miss, meaning we needed EF to gift us a goal) and big Sam Ramsbottom didn't have too much to do.

But it isn't September or October. It's April. We're ninth and we are effectively in the pre-playoff playoffs. We need victories. And today highlighted a pretty concerning lack of balance. Normally our balance is 80/20 in favour of defence. Today it was more attacking - yet we ship two very easily goals and fail to take the opportunities we create. Jaime Wilson especially was wasteful and, right now, he looks like a guy with a fraction of the confidence of the one who came in at the start of the season.

Robert Jones always takes plenty of stick. So lets start with him. He's a defensive forward; he'll defend from the front. He did that well against Aberdeen and Falkirk. But we went out to attack the game today - and he's not the guy you need when you're actually trying to get yourself on the front foot. In short, he will not score goals. We beat East Fife last time by keeping the ball on the deck - but today as soon as we went a goal down it was endless route one stuff. It wasn't until wee James Wallace came on that we actually started to look a coherent attacking threat with him linking midfield and attack. He really does look a good player; it's a shame we haven't seen more of him. I cannot understand why him and Rabin don't start near enough every single game.

PJ Crossan, goal aside, was prepared to take players on. And I like that. It's what we need. Unfortunately there appears to be a very limited connection between his eyes, brain and feet, and so 99 times out of 100 he takes the wrong option. He's like Oli Burke - but with a better first touch. All speed and drive...until he runs out of space, runs off the pitch or runs into a defender. It's so frustrating.

We didn't get Adam Frizzell on the ball anywhere near enough (mainly because it was normally flying about 10 foot above him) and Tomas Brindley and Ross Forbes around him were really poor. 

Defensively we were as bad as we've been too. I don't know if it's fatigue or what, but Morgyn Neill was all over the place at times - and that's not something you could have a go at him for since his early days as a Dumbarton player. Ryan McGeever was fine, but between the two of them there were far too many long aimless punts. The full-backs didn't offer much offensively or defensively, although both are playing when they aren't 100 percent fit I suspect. 

We need to win two of our next three games as a minimum if we are going to avoid the playoffs now. It's very simple. We cannot take anything other than three points on Tuesday night or it's game over and we can start planning for Elgin, Stranraer or wherever the heck we're getting relegated. 

One final point is this. Our fans have been (certainly on Facebook) quite supportive of Duffy. But I'd be fascinated to see the sort of pressure he'd be under if supporters were in Bayview today. It seems like the P&B Sons have had enough and it feels like (whatever division we are in next season) his time at DFC is coming to an end. 

I am generally supportive of an incumbent manager as there is statistical proof that it is very rarely a quick fix to sack someone and bring in someone else  https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sacking-managers-pointless-stats-slaven-bilic-west-ham-premier-league-a8044586.html

However, it's clear that things aren't working big time and frankly we don't have anything else we can do. The end of the season looks as if it will be too late so the time to act is now. We only have to look back at our last play-off situation and sticking with a management team whose time was up, to see what will likely happen. If Duffy's contract is up at the end of the season then he should go now. His presence isn't going to save us but his way-going might. Here's the crucial thing though - who would/could  we bring in? 

It'll most likely be someone who has failed elsewhere. When Arbroath went for Dick Campbell for instance, he had been sacked by Forfar.  In fact he was sacked by every team he's managed except Brechin (whom he left to manage Thistle) and Cowdenbeath (Whom he left to go to Brechin). If we were to sack Duffy and appoint someone temporary until the imminent end of the season - who would you go for? 

 

 

[The Moonster]

20 minutes ago, Howlin' Wilf said:

I am generally supportive of an incumbent manager as there is statistical proof that it is very rarely a quick fix to sack someone and bring in someone else  https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sacking-managers-pointless-stats-slaven-bilic-west-ham-premier-league-a8044586.html

However, it's clear that things aren't working big time and frankly we don't have anything else we can do. The end of the season looks as if it will be too late so the time to act is now. We only have to look back at our last play-off situation and sticking with a management team whose time was up, to see what will likely happen. If Duffy's contract is up at the end of the season then he should go now. His presence isn't going to save us but his way-going might. Here's the crucial thing though - who would/could  we bring in? 

It'll most likely be someone who has failed elsewhere. When Arbroath went for Dick Campbell for instance, he had been sacked by Forfar.  In fact he was sacked by every team he's managed except Brechin (whom he left to manage Thistle) and Cowdenbeath (Whom he left to go to Brechin). If we were to sack Duffy and appoint someone temporary until the imminent end of the season - who would you go for? 

 

 

Kevin Harper.

[Gordon EF]

12 hours ago, Grant228 said:

How's Miller Fenton been getting on? 

He's done very well. For a 17 year old he's looked really solid and composed defensively and he gets forward and offers something in attack. He was linking up really well with Danny Swanson today. Genuinely think Dunfermline could have a bit of a player on their hands there. I'd be happy to take him back at Bayview next season.

[BallochSonsFan]

1 hour ago, Howlin' Wilf said:

I am generally supportive of an incumbent manager as there is statistical proof that it is very rarely a quick fix to sack someone and bring in someone else  https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sacking-managers-pointless-stats-slaven-bilic-west-ham-premier-league-a8044586.html

However, it's clear that things aren't working big time and frankly we don't have anything else we can do. The end of the season looks as if it will be too late so the time to act is now. We only have to look back at our last play-off situation and sticking with a management team whose time was up, to see what will likely happen. If Duffy's contract is up at the end of the season then he should go now. His presence isn't going to save us but his way-going might. Here's the crucial thing though - who would/could  we bring in? 

It'll most likely be someone who has failed elsewhere. When Arbroath went for Dick Campbell for instance, he had been sacked by Forfar.  In fact he was sacked by every team he's managed except Brechin (whom he left to manage Thistle) and Cowdenbeath (Whom he left to go to Brechin). If we were to sack Duffy and appoint someone temporary until the imminent end of the season - who would you go for? 

 

 

I wouldn't.

I don't think we can get shot of Duffy and Smith, bring somebody in for as little as 4 weeks and then look for a permanent manager in the summer. There's no guarantee that we'd get a new manager bounce. If we had longer for a temporary appointment to work with the players then maybe, but it would be no comfort to be relegated under a temp manager compared with relegation under Duffy.

We need to hope for some great escape act under Duffy. At that point we shake his hand, wish him all the best and try and appoint a new permanent manager. I'd want to be able to offer our next manager some guarantees about where we'll be playing and what kind of budget he'll have.

Edited April 25, 2021 by BallochSonsFan

[Howlin' Wilf]

9 hours ago, BallochSonsFan said:

I wouldn't.

I don't think we can get shot of Duffy and Smith, bring somebody in for as little as 4 weeks and then look for a permanent manager in the summer. There's no guarantee that we'd get a new manager bounce. If we had longer for a temporary appointment to work with the players then maybe, but it would be no comfort to be relegated under a temp manager compared with relegation under Duffy.

We need to hope for some great escape act under Duffy. At that point we shake his hand, wish him all the best and try and appoint a new permanent manager. I'd want to be able to offer our next manager some guarantees about where we'll be playing and what kind of budget he'll have.

There is certainly no guarantee we'd get a new manager bounce but in the last chance saloon surely it would be worth a try?

[O'Kelly Isley III]

11 hours ago, Howlin' Wilf said:

I am generally supportive of an incumbent manager as there is statistical proof that it is very rarely a quick fix to sack someone and bring in someone else  https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/sacking-managers-pointless-stats-slaven-bilic-west-ham-premier-league-a8044586.html

However, it's clear that things aren't working big time and frankly we don't have anything else we can do. The end of the season looks as if it will be too late so the time to act is now. We only have to look back at our last play-off situation and sticking with a management team whose time was up, to see what will likely happen. If Duffy's contract is up at the end of the season then he should go now. His presence isn't going to save us but his way-going might. Here's the crucial thing though - who would/could  we bring in? 

It'll most likely be someone who has failed elsewhere. When Arbroath went for Dick Campbell for instance, he had been sacked by Forfar.  In fact he was sacked by every team he's managed except Brechin (whom he left to manage Thistle) and Cowdenbeath (Whom he left to go to Brechin). If we were to sack Duffy and appoint someone temporary until the imminent end of the season - who would you go for? 

 

 

Kevin Rutkiewicz at Stirling, a guy who was interviewed when Jim Duffy was appointed, and someone who impressed to the extent that Duffy's appointment wasn't unanimous.

Secondly, Stevie Farrell of Stranraer, a man regarded by some as the 'football man' in his partnership here with Stevie Aitken.   It could be argued that his departure was a factor in our downward slide.

The closing games of this season should play out as they will, as I don't think it's fair to expect anyone to come in and produce a miracle, but that should be that for the current managerial team otherwise we could be 'celebrating' our 150th anniversary in the Lowland League.

Ultimately it is the responsibility of the DFC Board to determine these affairs, and it is to be hoped that they are proactively working on likely future scenarios, budgets and potential managerial candidates.  I really hope they are.

[WhoAmI]

10 hours ago, O'Kelly Isley III said:

Kevin Rutkiewicz at Stirling, a guy who was interviewed when Jim Duffy was appointed, and someone who impressed to the extent that Duffy's appointment wasn't unanimous.

Secondly, Stevie Farrell of Stranraer, a man regarded by some as the 'football man' in his partnership here with Stevie Aitken.   It could be argued that his departure was a factor in our downward slide.

The closing games of this season should play out as they will, as I don't think it's fair to expect anyone to come in and produce a miracle, but that should be that for the current managerial team otherwise we could be 'celebrating' our 150th anniversary in the Lowland League.

Ultimately it is the responsibility of the DFC Board to determine these affairs, and it is to be hoped that they are proactively working on likely future scenarios, budgets and potential managerial candidates.  I really hope they are.

Shouldn’t some of the above posts be in the Dumbarton thread rather than East Fife v Dumbarton cos I am not really fussed whether you punt Jim Duffy or not!!!

[The Moonster]

11 minutes ago, WhoAmI said:

Shouldn’t some of the above posts be in the Dumbarton thread rather than East Fife v Dumbarton cos I am not really fussed whether you punt Jim Duffy or not!!!

What a wet wipe.

[WhoAmI]

8 hours ago, The Moonster said:

What a wet wipe.

What does that mean. Is it a euphemism for something?

[Life on Marrs?]

On 26/04/2021 at 09:56, WhoAmI said:

Shouldn’t some of the above posts be in the Dumbarton thread rather than East Fife v Dumbarton cos I am not really fussed whether you punt Jim Duffy or not!!!

Ordinarily I'd agree, but I've found it quite interesting reading fans of another clubs honest assessment of their problems.

It should also serve as a warning to those in the 'Young out' camp, things could certainly be a whole lot worse.