[jack bauer]

why we are not competing with notts and wrexham for top spot this season... i'm sure there are many reasons but i'll suggest the following, our key position players are just not quite good enough;

not to knock any position but for me the key positions on an 11 aside team are keeper, centre backs, centre mid and striker.

keeper, has become fitz, he was not part of the original plan but arrived following covolan's sending off after 20 mins of his town career, has done well, is a well travelled keeper and well i'll say this , i would be looking to replace in the summer regadless of season's outcome

centre backs; grimes, williams, palmer... not solid, not assured, not convincing, not commanding, not for me.

centre mid; jones has been excellent but is in the autumn of his career, akinola looks a real player but isn't ours, the others do not convince

striker, the big one, we simply don't have a realiable striker... this league is tough, pretty much any game can be tight, a good striker in this league is priceless, every team in this league will give you chances and when they do you have to take them.

i don't buy this idea that cook is any more one dimensional than any other manager, i also don't believe that we have been any more worked out than anyone else, i do believe that we need better players in key positions.

we might still go up this season, it's 50/50 at the moment, so talk of cook out is just bonkers. if we don't, big summer ahead in which recruitment of the key positions has to be air tight.

[dim view]

dtp, on 09 April 2023 - 09:09 PM, said:

Rowe is history, but of the 2 players mentioned one has now left us for a fee in excess of £250k and the other has been Cook's first choice for the one up front role all season. It doesn't matter what other managers or chairmen say about fees they are only trying to appease their fans. Bare in mind that Sarll also described Quigley as a goalscorer so could he be wrong on both counts?

Cook had virtually half a season last year to assess that player, he obviously liked what he saw because he didn't bring in an alternative among his many signings, He had 2 alternatives at the start of this season, one of which he transfer listed and then tried to turn into a No10, and the other he ignored even though he is still our joint leading scorer of league goals despite playing less minutes than Dallas (that's a guess by the way). It took close to the transfer deadline before he brought in any other challengers for that position and, guess what, one of them he's tried to turn into a No10, and the other is alternated with his first choice who is rarely out of the picture.

I've read and re-read you last 2 posts and I'm bugggered if I understand the point you are making. Spit it out please.

[azul]

dim view, on 09 April 2023 - 10:23 PM, said:

I've read and re-read you last 2 posts and I'm bugggered if I understand the point you are making. Spit it out please.

I think he has signed up to a fully fledged member of Walton’s ‘Cook Out’ cult but doesn’t want to admit it

[Lincs Spireite]

jack bauer, on 09 April 2023 - 10:08 PM, said:

why we are not competing with notts and wrexham for top spot this season... i'm sure there are many reasons but i'll suggest the following, our key position players are just not quite good enough;

not to knock any position but for me the key positions on an 11 aside team are keeper, centre backs, centre mid and striker.

keeper, has become fitz, he was not part of the original plan but arrived following covolan's sending off after 20 mins of his town career, has done well, is a well travelled keeper and well i'll say this , i would be looking to replace in the summer regadless of season's outcome

centre backs; grimes, williams, palmer... not solid, not assured, not convincing, not commanding, not for me.

centre mid; jones has been excellent but is in the autumn of his career, akinola looks a real player but isn't ours, the others do not convince

striker, the big one, we simply don't have a realiable striker... this league is tough, pretty much any game can be tight, a good striker in this league is priceless, every team in this league will give you chances and when they do you have to take them.

i don't buy this idea that cook is any more one dimensional than any other manager, i also don't believe that we have been any more worked out than anyone else, i do believe that we need better players in key positions.

we might still go up this season, it's 50/50 at the moment, so talk of cook out is just bonkers. if we don't, big summer ahead in which recruitment of the key positions has to be air tight.

Spot on. I would keep our front mid of Colclough Dobra and Mandy and look at improving the rest too.

[spireitetoo]

jack bauer, on 09 April 2023 - 10:08 PM, said:

why we are not competing with notts and wrexham for top spot this season... i'm sure there are many reasons but i'll suggest the following, our key position players are just not quite good enough;

I would disagree with this tbh, I do believe the players we have are good enough, they have proved this in enough games, including both v Wrexham and County and the 1st game v WestBrom, its the slow patient build up game we keep resorting to, especially against the lesser teams in the league, giving an already defensive minded team the time to setup and block our attacks.

[warfey is a spireite]

Lincs Spireite, on 10 April 2023 - 06:38 AM, said:

Spot on. I would keep our front mid of Colclough Dobra and Mandy and look at improving the rest too.

Dobra is injured so it won't be the same team mate

[dtp]

azul, on 09 April 2023 - 10:58 PM, said:

I think he has signed up to a fully fledged member of Walton’s ‘Cook Out’ cult but doesn’t want to admit it

Unlike some, I have specifically said that I would stick with Cook until the end of the 2023/24 season which is a point in time when the contracts of most of the players he's signed and others expire. I think that's clarification enough.

I have also pointed out that Cook has brought in a large number of players, has only one long-term injury on his hands, will be going into the play-offs with a bigger squad than most teams we are likely to meet by quite some way. I think that's clear enough.

Then, I have pointed out that the appointment of Cook has not been as cheap an exercise as some may think in terms of the number of players signed, the coaching staff brought in, the agents fees paid etc. That's plain enough.

Additionally, I have stated that within all those signings not until recently has he brought in any competition for Quigley. He had virtually half a season of 2021/22 to assess the squad. He brought in players for most positions other than the one up front as he stuck with Quigley. He ignored our joint top scorer this season, Tshimanga. He tried to convert Asante into a No10. He's brought in Dallas and tried to convert him into a No10. Meanwhile Quigley has never been out of the picture unless he's been injured or ill. Whatever anybody else thinks, I suggest that means he rates Quigley. Don't think I can make that any clearer for the one that can't understand what I'm saying.

Also, I have suggested that at the end of this season there needs to be some form of review at the very top as to what's gone right and what's gone over the season. That should be normal procedure with a view to ensuring that any mistakes are not repeated . Can't think why that doesn't make sense to anybody.

So, despite my support for Cook, that does not mean that he is beyond criticism nor that he's got a job for life no matter what. I reserve the right to say what I think about the performance in any game both of the players and the management. And, I get particularly concerned that during his very brief post-match interviews he allocates time to have a pop at the fans who are turning out in large numbers to support their team. Is that clear enough?

[gordon_brittas]

jack bauer, on 09 April 2023 - 10:08 PM, said:

why we are not competing with notts and wrexham for top spot this season... i'm sure there are many reasons but i'll suggest the following, our key position players are just not quite good enough;

not to knock any position but for me the key positions on an 11 aside team are keeper, centre backs, centre mid and striker.

keeper, has become fitz, he was not part of the original plan but arrived following covolan's sending off after 20 mins of his town career, has done well, is a well travelled keeper and well i'll say this , i would be looking to replace in the summer regadless of season's outcome

centre backs; grimes, williams, palmer... not solid, not assured, not convincing, not commanding, not for me.

centre mid; jones has been excellent but is in the autumn of his career, akinola looks a real player but isn't ours, the others do not convince

striker, the big one, we simply don't have a realiable striker... this league is tough, pretty much any game can be tight, a good striker in this league is priceless, every team in this league will give you chances and when they do you have to take them.

i don't buy this idea that cook is any more one dimensional than any other manager, i also don't believe that we have been any more worked out than anyone else, i do believe that we need better players in key positions.

we might still go up this season, it's 50/50 at the moment, so talk of cook out is just bonkers. if we don't, big summer ahead in which recruitment of the key positions has to be air tight.

Top post can’t argue with any of that.

Fitzsimmons whilst he hasn’t done much wrong apart from last Saturday would not get in either of the top 2’s starting lineup. Maybe another look at the lad Boot at Solihull, I know we were linked with him last summer.

Plenty of talent in this league and the one above to sort the defence out plus midfield. Some out of contract too. Main area is pace for me, apart from young Dobra and Colclough we have none.

Be looking to move Quigley, Asante and Gyasi onto pastures new. Not sure what we do with Dallas, I guess there’s a player in their but will he want to stay?

[Waller is my hero]

Good post that..I’m a big advocate of Cookie, it will reach a point when he knows he’s taken us as far as he can. If we don’t go up this season, then he can clean the decks of Rowes remnants in pre-season & next season would be the ultimate acid test

This season in the national league is an absolute freak with the form of County & Wrexham…it makes every other team look rubbish!..in reality having mid seventy points at this stage of the season is challenging for the championship.

So the having a Cook out thread started by the usuals is absurd

Doesn’t deliver next season (if we’re still here) then it’s a different discussion

[dim view]

dtp, on 10 April 2023 - 09:32 AM, said:

He brought in players for most positions other than the one up front as he stuck with Quigley. He ignored our joint top scorer this season, Tshimanga. He tried to convert Asante into a No10. He's brought in Dallas and tried to convert him into a No10. Meanwhile Quigley has never been out of the picture unless he's been injured or ill. Whatever anybody else thinks, I suggest that means he rates Quigley. Don't think I can make that any clearer for the one that can't understand what I'm saying.

Your suggestion is clear but the reasons are, as I think you know very well, spurious and mischevious.

Kabby wasn't fit, as you know, so he wasn't ignored. The team was winning, as you know, so he persevered with Quigley. We had overspent, as you know, so there was no competition brought in for Quigley. Long ago, Cook said that strikers are judged on their goals, as you know. He's recently implied that his dream line up excludes Quigley, as you know.

So to claim that all along that he's rated Quigley is inaccurate.

This post has been edited by dim view: 10 April 2023 - 10:25 AM

[Snowflake McBedwetter]

Shouldn't think there are many 'Anti-Cook' town fans. I'm certainly not one. His first stint with us was fantastic.

However, if we don't get out this season then we need to make tough decisions. I have a feeling he may walk if we don't go up, but if not we have to seriously consider if we're going to let him recruit again. He has had the time and resources to build a side of his own and I would argue that his tactical rigidity is what's holding us back.

I do however think we've got the makings of a good squad, and that Cookie leaving at the end of the season wouldn't be a disaster. As such, I'd err on the side of him going if we don't go up. Hopefully to be replaced by a young hungry manager.

[gordon_brittas]

Snowflake McBedwetter, on 10 April 2023 - 10:24 AM, said:

Shouldn't think there are many 'Anti-Cook' town fans. I'm certainly not one. His first stint with us was fantastic.

However, if we don't get out this season then we need to make tough decisions. I have a feeling he may walk if we don't go up, but if not we have to seriously consider if we're going to let him recruit again. He has had the time and resources to build a side of his own and I would argue that his tactical rigidity is what's holding us back.

I do however think we've got the makings of a good squad, and that Cookie leaving at the end of the season wouldn't be a disaster. As such, I'd err on the side of him going if we don't go up. Hopefully to be replaced by a young hungry manager.

If Cook was to go (which I don’t think he will yet) we need a young progressive manager such as Phil Parkinson at Altrincham, or Williamson at Gateshead, not one of the managerial merry go round dinosaurs.

[Snowflake McBedwetter]

dim view, on 10 April 2023 - 10:21 AM, said:

Your suggestion is clear but the reasons are, as I think you know very well, spurious and mischevious.

Kabby wasn't fit, as you know, so he wasn't ignored. The team was winning, as you know, so he persevered with Quigley. We had overspent, as you know, so there was no competition brought in for Quigley. Long ago, Cook said that strikers are judged on their goals, as you know. He's recently implied that his dream line up excludes Quigley, as you know.

So to claim that all along that he's rated Quigley is inaccurate.

If you google 'Revisionist History' the above is what serves as a definition.

Absolute flannel.

[jack bauer]

Snowflake McBedwetter, on 10 April 2023 - 10:24 AM, said:

Shouldn't think there are many 'Anti-Cook' town fans. I'm certainly not one. His first stint with us was fantastic.

However, if we don't get out this season then we need to make tough decisions. I have a feeling he may walk if we don't go up, but if not we have to seriously consider if we're going to let him recruit again. He has had the time and resources to build a side of his own and I would argue that his tactical rigidity is what's holding us back.

I do however think we've got the makings of a good squad, and that Cookie leaving at the end of the season wouldn't be a disaster. As such, I'd err on the side of him going if we don't go up. Hopefully to be replaced by a young hungry manager.

we do have the makings of a good squad, i think where we are strong is in the flair department, where we are lacking is in the grit (can't think of a better word) department, jones aside the spine of the team is too weak, now if the recruitment this summer addresses that, we should have a well balanced squad to go that extra step next season (assuming we don't go up this season).

[Waller is my hero]

Good post that..I’m a big advocate of Cookie, it will reach a point when he knows he’s taken us as far as he can. If we don’t go up this season, then he can clean the decks of Rowes remnants in pre-season & next season would be the ultimate acid test

This season in the national league is an absolute freak with the form of County & Wrexham…it makes every other team look rubbish!..in reality having mid seventy points at this stage of the season is challenging for the championship.

So the having a Cook out thread started by the usuals is absurd

Doesn’t deliver next season (if we’re still here) then it’s a different discussion

[jack bauer]

Waller is my hero, on 10 April 2023 - 10:56 AM, said:

Good post that..I’m a big advocate of Cookie, it will reach a point when he knows he’s taken us as far as he can. If we don’t go up this season, then he can clean the decks of Rowes remnants in pre-season & next season would be the ultimate acid test

This season in the national league is an absolute freak with the form of County & Wrexham…it makes every other team look rubbish!..in reality having mid seventy points at this stage of the season is challenging for the championship.

So the having a Cook out thread started by the usuals is absurd

Doesn’t deliver next season (if we’re still here) then it’s a different discussion

i think i'm right in saying that asante, quigley, grimes and williams are still under contract for next season, grimes may have been his own doing (i forget)

[metallilad]

Snowflake McBedwetter, on 10 April 2023 - 10:24 AM, said:

Shouldn't think there are many 'Anti-Cook' town fans. I'm certainly not one. His first stint with us was fantastic.

However, if we don't get out this season then we need to make tough decisions. I have a feeling he may walk if we don't go up, but if not we have to seriously consider if we're going to let him recruit again. He has had the time and resources to build a side of his own and I would argue that his tactical rigidity is what's holding us back.

I do however think we've got the makings of a good squad, and that Cookie leaving at the end of the season wouldn't be a disaster. As such, I'd err on the side of him going if we don't go up. Hopefully to be replaced by a young hungry manager.

What about the crap he's had to deal with in the background? Rowe left us with no recruitment dept whatsoever, players on ridiculous wages aswell as being injury prone. We had our treatment room in the hospitality area just so we had enough tables for them all. He's had to try and build a squad out of what he had left from three different managers aswell as bring players in without proper scouting because he needed to get eleven on the pitch who could battle for promotion (which he is delivering). Fair enough, he's had the Trust backing him as much as they could but after Rowe's scatter gun approach the budgets just weren't there as much as Rowe had.
Now the Kirk's are running the show and he's now gonna be faced with a change of direction on just how the club is going to be run so he has got to be sure that every signing he makes will be utilised and not discarded willy nilly like Rowe did.
He's a top manager who we know could go and manage any league one aswell as some championship clubs but he's chosen to come here and try to get us back into the football league because he genuinely loves the club. The supporter who he argued with on Friday walked down the steps and shouted at him so he responded back to him. Cookie was just as frustrated as we all were, it was plain to see, so for somebody to shout at him when he's reared up already is always gonna get a big reaction.
All this crap about "I like Cookie but....." is bo**ocks. It's just wannabe playstation/Xbox football managers who just because they took Accrington to a champions League final think they can do it in real life.
Anybody who tries saying "we should play like this" just put your CV up against Cookies and let's see who is the real football manager.

Look, I'm not saying that Cookie doesn't make mistakes and people are always going to moan regardless of what's happening on the pitch. But let's at least acknowledge the fact that he currently is taking us toward the highest finish we've had in this league but yet people still want him sacked which is absolutely mind blowing because if this had been any upcoming young manager with this seasons record we would have been lauding them. Maybe it's just the expectation that having a manager of Paul Cooks calibre that is turning into his Achilles heel.

[dtp]

dim view, on 10 April 2023 - 10:21 AM, said:

Your suggestion is clear but the reasons are, as I think you know very well, spurious and mischevious.

Kabby wasn't fit, as you know, so he wasn't ignored. The team was winning, as you know, so he persevered with Quigley. We had overspent, as you know, so there was no competition brought in for Quigley. Long ago, Cook said that strikers are judged on their goals, as you know. He's recently implied that his dream line up excludes Quigley, as you know.

So to claim that all along that he's rated Quigley is inaccurate.

Without wanting to prolong this particular discussion much further can you confirm how many matches Cook has been in charge of since arriving last year prior to coming out with his latest statement implying his dream line up can only be brought about if and when Dobra is fit?

I judge strikers on the goals they score. Strange innit that so does Cook. Stranger still, that Kabby was fit enough to be in the match day 16 out of his bloated squad. Even more strange that even this season the unfit, underused, Kabby remains our joint leading NL goalscorer. As I said, I judge strikers by the goals they score so, hopefully, soon I'll be in a position to judge Dallas as a striker even though it seems he can only be played in Cook's "one" if a certain individual can also be played in his chosen "three'. That is the bit I seriously don't get or understand. Why play a player out of position because another player isn't available thus weakening 2 positions when one would do? It's not as if he's struggling for players to make up the match day 16.

You use the term "persisted" with Quigley. I prefer to say he "selected" Quigley in front of "others" and the "others" so far have included Tshimanga , Asante and Dallas. Hence my thinking. As yet, in virtually a season and a half I've seen no evidence to support your claim that it is inaccurate.

[dtp]

jack bauer, on 10 April 2023 - 11:00 AM, said:

i think i'm right in saying that asante, quigley, grimes and williams are still under contract for next season, grimes may have been his own doing (i forget)

And, of those 4, Grimes is his chosen captain and started every match this season and I believe Cook gave him an extended contract thus making him one of his own signings, Williams still makes the match day 16 and the debate is more about is he better or worse than Palmer, Asante when fit is nearly always chosen in the match day 16, and then there is Quigley about whom there's been enough discussion already.

For me, as much as clearing the decks of the remaining Rowe signings of which I can only think of Rowe and Clarke there needs to be some clearing of the decks of some of Cook's own signings too. Cooper and Joe Cook have already gone and that might have cost us money but there are others like Gyasi who came on a fee, as did Whelan, plus his son Cook who might not be on much but why is he on the payroll at all and a few others.

[calvin plummers socks]

dim view, on 10 April 2023 - 10:21 AM, said:

Your suggestion is clear but the reasons are, as I think you know very well, spurious and mischevious.

Kabby wasn't fit, as you know, so he wasn't ignored. The team was winning, as you know, so he persevered with Quigley. We had overspent, as you know, so there was no competition brought in for Quigley. Long ago, Cook said that strikers are judged on their goals, as you know. He's recently implied that his dream line up excludes Quigley, as you know.

So to claim that all along that he's rated Quigley is inaccurate.

Kabby bless him was treated awfully here in terms of his rehab. Left to his own devices and putting him back months.