The English Football Thread

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by MoonlitSunshine

Personally I find it more shocking than usual in situations like this. I don't mean to degrade anyone's death, but for some suicides, the reason is obvious: either something happened, or they were just obviously depressed. It's still tragic, but you can see the reason. With someone like Speed... There was absolutely nothing in the way he went about his life that seemed to even hint at the idea that he was suicidal. He had family, a (pretty damn good) job, Wales were on the up, and judging by the reactions of everyone yesterday he was well loved, by everyone.

It just shows how fragile anyone can be beneath the surface, I guess...

I agree with all that you`ve said, he`s somebody that you would never imagine to have had this type of fragility, but I guess some people are very good at hiding what they feel below the surface. Also I haven`t read anymore about the the incident, to know if there were any other reasons for his suicide such as illness, relationship problems etc.

[evi1gun]

Yeah really shocked.

Even more shocked than I would've been if it were one of my friends or family.

His family have come out and thanked the public for there support but didn't hint towards any signs of problems.

It's none of my business but I cant help wonder WHY WHY WHY???

R.I.P Gary lad, once a blue, always a blue.

[Salami]

I honestly don't believe it. I actually saw the interview and I remember thinking about when he was at Bolton and how far he'd come. And then this.

[Bulldog]

BBC Sport - Sunderland sack Steve Bruce as manager

I'm going to flaunt my hitherto unspoken clairvoyant ability and say that I totally saw this coming. It's about time to - along with Bolton and Blackburn, I'd thought Sunderland were a side that needed a change of managerial personnel to move forward as a club.

And before anyone turns that around on Bobby Martinez, Wigan are screwed regardless of who their manager is

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Bulldog

BBC Sport - Sunderland sack Steve Bruce as manager

I'm going to flaunt my hitherto unspoken clairvoyant ability and say that I totally saw this coming. It's about time to - along with Bolton and Blackburn, I'd thought Sunderland were a side that needed a change of managerial personnel to move forward as a club.

And before anyone turns that around on Bobby Martinez, Wigan are screwed regardless of who their manager is

I`m quite shocked, I know it makes sense that he should go but I thought Owen Coyle and poor old Steve Kean would go before him. As for Bobby Martinez I really like him and I think with the result going their way on Saturday, they may well get onto a decent run as he likes to play good football.

[Bulldog]

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

I`m quite shocked, I know it makes sense that he should go but I thought Owen Coyle and poor old Steve Kean would go before him. As for Bobby Martinez I really like him and I think with the result going their way on Saturday, they may well get onto a decent run as he likes to play good football.

If the latics do go on a good run, it almost certainly won't be this side of new year's. We've literally got all of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U to come over the next 5 fixtures, so I reckon we'll be mired in the drop zone for a while yet.

Kean should've gone at the end of last season, really. Blackburn clearly have perfectly good players more than capable of staying up, it's just that their manager is way out of his depth at this level. As for Coyle, it's been obvious for quite some time that he just doesn't have what it takes to get Bolton to the next level - he should've stayed at Burnley, basically.

[Unknown Soldier]

Originally Posted by Bulldog

If the latics do go on a good run, it almost certainly won't be this side of new year's. We've literally got all of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U to come over the next 5 fixtures, so I reckon we'll be mired in the drop zone for a while yet.

Kean should've gone at the end of last season, really. Blackburn clearly have perfectly good players more than capable of staying up, it's just that their manager is way out of his depth at this level. As for Coyle, it's been obvious for quite some time that he just doesn't have what it takes to get Bolton to the next level - he should've stayed at Burnley, basically.

****, that`s a bad run you`ve got there.

Call me a sadist but I love watching Blackburn these days, especially with the constant "Kean Out" banners on show regardless of whether Blackburn win, draw or lose

To be fair Owen Coyle did a good job when he initially took over as Bolton boss but this season it hasn`t worked out and in hindsight Burnley was where he should`ve stayed.

As for the drop, at least one possibly two will go from Blackburn, Bolton, Wigan, Sunderland or Wolves. With one or two going from Swansea, Norwich or QPR. This season is interesting in that all three promoted sides are doing better than expected, but like always at least two of them will go on really bad runs in the new year which could cost them their place in the top flight.

[Salami]

Originally Posted by Bulldog

BBC Sport - Sunderland sack Steve Bruce as manager

I'm going to flaunt my hitherto unspoken clairvoyant ability and say that I totally saw this coming. It's about time to - along with Bolton and Blackburn, I'd thought Sunderland were a side that needed a change of managerial personnel to move forward as a club.

And before anyone turns that around on Bobby Martinez, Wigan are screwed regardless of who their manager is

You know, it's a shame about Steve Bruce. He's had some very good times, and I remember when he was with Reading and really made some good decisions.
And sadly, Wigan will not be in the Premier league next year. There is no possibility whatsoever of them not getting relegated.

[Mojo]

It was time for Bruce to go. He has a vote of completely no confidence up here now.

It's not like he's done nothing in his spell in charge. Some of our fans forget what he did do while he was here. However we cant move forward with Bruce, he just doesn't seem to be that kind of manager. That and some of the baffling decisions he has made this season, along with never replacing Bent, letting Gyan go out on loan, and players like Welbeck and Onouha going back to their clubs after their loan spells, we actually are moving backwards rather than continuing to make progress this season.

Bruce has blamed individual error for the Norwich result this season, where he said we rallied towards the end but needed to do so sooner, get our goal sooner, and we might have been able to then go on and get something. Thats true, but we rallied when Bruce made a change and brought a striker on. A change he should have made earlier then maybe, if hes gonna blame his players?

He also started 4-5-1 at home to Wigan. Sorry Bulldog, but you put out a team to win at home to Wigan, and thats just the way it is.

Will the change be for the better? Who knows, but a change is necessary.

[Salami]

It's never a good sign when he blames "individual error" on a loss that could have been averted. I hope for your sake that you end up with someone decent after him.
I'd like to think that he had made some good decisions in his time, though, although it's right that he bears the brunt of the blame for the current mess you are in.