jono

I really do get that but just maybe amidst our dreams of greater things, perhaps we shouldn’t be thinking of Warne as a Clough or even a Smith. Just a manager who will do a job and set us on the first lap or two of a relay and then pass the baton to another, for the next leg. ? Maybe Warne isn’t the long term manager but as the short/medium term he needs our support ? Before we get a Ferrari perhaps we need to get comfortable with our modeo andget to a destination where we might get the keys to something better.

Happy days. Real fighters performance. Some good football thrown in too. Think Cash ran Collins close for MOTM and thought Smith did some excellent ratting. Barks blew hot and cold, how did he miss that having done the hard bit so well ? Not much in it first half but the goal early in the second was a kick in the round objects that they couldn’t recover from. After that we ran it. We all know Collo’s weaknesses but he played damned well today and roughed up anyone who came near him. In a word Gutsy. There was a similar and welcome attitude in all our team today. No one was going to be intimidated and it showed.

Oh that is so sad Angie x. We all had a friendly giggle with B4. He always took even the worst and put a positive outlook on it. He’d have been delighted that Collions scored a brace today. His match report would have given us a lift as always A proper Ram. You’ll be chatting with Cloughie now “young man” . Much sympathy to his friends an family.

Which reminds me of a joke I heard in my youth Whats the difference between Ansels Bitter and making love in a rowing boat. ? They’re both ducking close to water

I normally have strong opinions and favourite players but it’s tricky to chose at the moment. The only thing I want and that consistently works is 4 at the back. These players have all had good days this season in one game or another, but I wish to heck they’d all decide to have a good day at the same time. Collins needs the ball in the box but if that isn’t going to happen then Washington is more versatile. Bradley has his issues but at least plays the ball out to midfield on the floor. Dunno .. hope they give us room to play. We need this to stop the one step forward one back rut we keep slipping in to.

Have to disagree. There have been a few dour games with players “off it” but I’ve also seen some good football and at times a team playing as a unit. It’s considerably better on the pitch than under Pearson and despite Cocu’s grand plan and intelligence it wasn’t very exciting at all. Heart in mouth as we fussed around on the edge of our own box waiting for inevitable mistakes and at the other end just not scoring goals. .. naaa I still like watching us and I see goals going in. We aren’t Barcabut I know these boys will be thereabouts a seasons end

And that’s the thing the anti PW brigade conveniently miss. If we steer clear of injuries I get the feeling that a developing Wilson and a fit Ward might just see us being a lot more effective in front of goal when Warne ball might suddenly become a lot more attractive.

As far as I’m concerned all news media fell apart once Redhead and Timpson retired. Downhill since then. Editorial “messages” from all sides, instead of information asking you to draw a conclusion of your own. BBC world service still has some vestiges of information giving but that’s about it.

I think you underestimate the level of intelligence possessed by Everyman. Of course there are those with a jingoistic/ nationalist view of these things, and we would both agree they are a “type” that hasn’t joined the dots or have an innate bigotry. (As there are those with an opposing axe to grind) The reality, from my perspective, is that most of us know perfectly well that the empire had its dark side and readily accept it wasn’t all beneficence and roses. The compromises made to achieve abolition were systemic and in the light of the times, the right thing to do in order to achieve the objective. It happens now, sops in order to bring the baby home without derailing the engine. The thing is we HAVE learned from our history. I would argue that Africa and India are both now struggling as to how they deal with Chinese influence because you can see in stark relief that there is a repeating theme post empire, and that is before we even get to endemic corruption. You and I are not on the same plane of the political spectrum, and whilst we are bound to disagree with each other in some areas, I know that I was educated to question, examine and draw my own conclusions far beyond nationalistic propaganda. The “anti imperialists” make many valid points but in my opinion many of those suppositions are part of a larger political end game, rather than just reflecting on history and the lessons it can teach.

Indeed, and I don’t disagree at all, but the level of scrutiny in some circles over the British Empire is extreme and never given the perspective that there have been empires throughout history, and in all corners of the world who have been just as brutal and just as pillaging. Further, that the British Empire did at least attempt a rule of law and built things for the general good be it a railway, a sewage system or schools. It also lead the world in abolition and outlawing brutal local religious practices.

How much Silver is there in Denmark, stolen from Geordie Churches eh ? And yes the Romans .. they built roads and beauty spas but slaughtered all those druids while they were at it. it’s also about time Nottingham apologised to Derby and gave up those European cups.

Exactly ! Which is why I rail against this revisionist history business when we are asked to apologise for the empire. Yes terrible things happened, it needs to be acknowledged, and yes we need to learn, do better on our watch, but take the hindsight critical eye always from it. It is history. No one alive today is to “blame” .. Consider Zimbabwe post empire, consider what African nations under their own recognisance are doing with China ? Consider India has a semblance of democracy because foundations were laid by the empire .. oh yes I won’t deny the advantageous terms the empire drew for itself, but lambasting it in the light of the times, past and present is fundamentally wrong. We just have to learn from it and do better. That is the obligation, not ritual humility of a nation whose current peoples took no part in it and gained no benefit from it.

I don’t agree with everything you say but you make good points. Also, to give you a salute you say “that is my belief” so very much better than saying “I am right” I have huge sympathy for the Palestinians especially when Netinyahoo (spelling 🤪) is so bellicose and to me at least, not very likeable or statesmanlike. Yet on the other hand if you lived in a country surrounded by every neighbour who really would rather you didn’t exist it does provide some background to what makes Israel so fixed in maintaining or even expanding their position. And, like it or not, with or without American help, Isreal has built a functioning prosperous nation that pays more than lip service to democracy. They are a big animal permanently backed in to a corner. Hamas has no interest in coaxing them out it would rather poke them with a sharp stick at the expense of the Palestinian people.

But it is a bit like democracy isn’t it ! Flawed .. but nothing better has come along. I think we are going to disagree on this one. India, Africa and so many others have had a very long time to sort out the “mess” but are repeating the mistakes of the empire under their own steam and doing a fine job with a different canvas.

And yet Saudi Arabia exists and can pursue its particular form of governance and control over oil supply ? One that most certainly doesn’t follow western norms and has successfully pulled the wests strings for 70 odd years ? But yes it is about basic resources which is why I mentioned space, water fertile land and a port. The west has always been prepared to pay but want the deal to favour then. The religionists are the same but more complex. Like Trump or other populists they harness the mob for their ends using divine right in place of base motives. The end result being the same, and a lot harder to shift or negotiate with.

Surely it means we should be mid table or thereabouts in the championship by September 2026. Would that be ok ? The definition of “established” is somewhat loose isn’t it ? especially as he has been in post for just 14 months out of 48 personally I think he will be under pressure from the start of nest season and more so if he doesn’t get a play off place this year. But as far as I am concerned he gets this season free. Only then will I start to question. One thing for sure I don’t want another manager for at least 12 months. It would be appalling impatience and stupidity to want to shuffle things yet again. (IMO of course !) 🤪

It shouldn’t be about a solution for one side or the other. It should be about a solution end of story. The sides are so polarised and dug in to one set of right and wrong that progress seems impossible. I kind of have sympathy for the old British Empire and it’s drawing of random ill considered straight lines .. they had a plan (flawed to glory yes but at least it was a plan with some good practical intent at heart) .. When each side claims a Devine right to something regardless of anything then we have a huge issue. How on earth do we do it ? Each side needs space, water, fertile land and a port to the outside world. Is it so difficult to resolve given those parameters ? Yes .. because there are those on both sides that demand absolute primacy via some god given right or declamation.

We’ll, given that the manager has a 4 year contract with the aim of being in the championship by the time it is concluded, I would suggest to you, as only just over a year has passed, then it IS an option.

They can and they will time and time again. They have some evidence and are busy making a crime and criminal to fit it. tedious beyond measure.

It’s not about being happy clappy and if he plays badly in a particular game I have no problem him being criticised. What I dislike intensely is the way in certain quarters individual players are cast as the ones to kick on a regular basis. It’s destructive it’s a kind of remote bullying. If this was a real playground there’d be a group picking out the likes of Collins, Bradley, Malone for special “attention” They were even on Vydras back for a short while. Yes there is always a mob

You know that’s just plain wrong. Collins is past his best and in any case was and is a league one striker with all the flaws that entails. BUT One thing Collins does do is get in good positions. I can’t defend the missed chances but you know, he should have played Barks in the other week and got slated. Barks did the same but not a whisper. Not on in my book. Collo isn’t the answer to “Derby’s No 9” but he is a Ram, he’s our player, he works, turns up and does stuff (did anyone notice the the back flick exchange with NML last night ? I find the toxicity towards him from some quarters simply loathsome. We had the same over Bradley but he seems to have been forgiven by the mob (for now) The same mob that are wanting to crucify the manager and have zero patience and zero understanding of the meaning of support. Some supporters seem to revel in attacking our own for mistakes, bad luck or whatever other something they can use to focus their puerile attitude to sport. Pompous ? Angry ? Opinionated ? Yes .. I am guilty of all of them but when a player has our shirt on I back them, I don’t set out to trip them up or rejoice in mishaps. And no .. it isn’t “bants” or a “larf”

I like him. Gentleman footballer in the autumn of his career. Not always razor sharp but has valuable attributes. That said, time moves on. I trust our management to decide. If he goes we have options or we can find them. The real worry comes if he goes and Max goes at the same time. Double whammies aren’t good. We can adjust and develop to changes in personal as long as there is a sound plan for “what next” and an orderly planned transition.

I am told he hardly played at the end of last season and was no where near match sharp, then he had those eff ups at a new club. Huge mountain for him to climb personally, but last night he looked excellent.

Yes, I wanted to see more of Brown too, but on reflection 15 minutes wasn’t unreasonable. The system at that point didn’t provide him with much in the way of chances but he looks a real unit for 18. I hope we see more of him. Sibbs is a useful player and capable of a magic moment but I have come to the conclusion that L1 stars are like the football, inconsistent…. as is Sibley.

Not much to say. We moved the ball quickly, ran for each other, remembered we had individual skill while also working as a team. They didn’t press and when they occasionally did, we passed it round them. lots of excellent performances, obviously Max but was delighted for Sonny and thought Barks was a real catalyst throughout the game.