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Walkley Ram

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  1. Like
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from S8TY in Paul Warne   
    I've been called all sorts too. Like you, I'm happy to brush it off, but it was getting pretty toxic in here. Rather than stop posting, I just reeled in my thoughts on things for a while. Tried to focus on the positives. Tried to have a laugh when things were bad, as well as good.
    I think most of what you say is absolutely spot on, for what it's worth.
     
  2. Like
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from SSD in Paul Warne   
    Wasn't that thread from October, when things were looking absolutely dire on the pitch? I appreciate it's a results business, but at the time we were getting neither the results nor a performance. We'd barely troubled the top six the previous season, and looked set to repeat the same again.
    The message was sent loud and clear that it wasn't good enough. Had things carried on in the same manner, he'd have been out of a job. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. It's also important that Warne at this point was freely admitting things were nowhere near good enough. It wasn't just us Warne outers that were critical. He was agreeing with us.
    Credit given to all involved that following that "altercation" with Hourihane and the fans, results did improve. And that was despite key players being out injured. I absolutely think that the toxicity at the time knocked some reality into the players and staff. I think it was their make or break time. I also absolutely think we'd be nowhere near second had we all just clapped them off every game, and quietly accepted whatever garbage was being served up. I truly think it was the moment the penny dropped for the club. And it was needed.
    I think that point in time, when the Warne doubt was at it's highest, that neither camp was wrong. One camp were fed up with things as they were in reality. One camp were optimistic things would improve. I'd also argue both camps were right because despite results improving, arguably the football didn't. So some very valid questions remained.
    However it's results that get you up, so most sane doubters were placated. And we did go up. Because we're Derby and we're brilliant, regardless of who's in charge.
    But I'm always wrong, so feel free to disagree.
  3. Haha
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from Ken Tram in Pre season   
    Rwanda it is.
  4. Haha
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from MarsdenRam in Pre season   
    Rwanda it is.
  5. Haha
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from Crewton in Pre season   
    Rwanda it is.
  6. Haha
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from Hustler in Pre season   
    Rwanda it is.
  7. Haha
    Walkley Ram reacted to GuiseleyRam in Pre season   
    Or Guiseley. At, er... Guiseley. 
  8. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to inter politics in Lost Youngsters   
    Would Dylan Williams count too?
  9. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to Poynton ram in Games That Aren't Talked About Enough   
    3.0 at PP v Arsenal, goals from Wanchope x2 and a deft chip from Sturridge, the Old Trafford win when Christie scored with his left foot, the win at Norwich under Lampard, the win at Everton when Duncan Ferguson was sent off for elbowing Wanchope, any game v Leeds
  10. COYR
    Walkley Ram reacted to Srg in Games That Aren't Talked About Enough   
    The coffee cup game was better than the 5-0 for me. Dont know whether it was jus the expectations at the time or my age, but I’ve always loved that. 
    Southampton play off semi. Pitch invasion in torrential rain. Epic that was. 
  11. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to Eddie in Paul Warne   
    Knee-jerk reactions are just that. I was pointing out just how stupid they can be, and how much egg can be left on faces. You would think that people would learn not to jump in with both feet when a more measured response would be more apposite, but it seems to be a common trait amongst some. It's also worth pointing out that the thread in question rumbled on for several more months, with the egg getting more and more smelly with each passing week.
  12. Like
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from S8TY in Paul Warne   
    Wasn't that thread from October, when things were looking absolutely dire on the pitch? I appreciate it's a results business, but at the time we were getting neither the results nor a performance. We'd barely troubled the top six the previous season, and looked set to repeat the same again.
    The message was sent loud and clear that it wasn't good enough. Had things carried on in the same manner, he'd have been out of a job. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. It's also important that Warne at this point was freely admitting things were nowhere near good enough. It wasn't just us Warne outers that were critical. He was agreeing with us.
    Credit given to all involved that following that "altercation" with Hourihane and the fans, results did improve. And that was despite key players being out injured. I absolutely think that the toxicity at the time knocked some reality into the players and staff. I think it was their make or break time. I also absolutely think we'd be nowhere near second had we all just clapped them off every game, and quietly accepted whatever garbage was being served up. I truly think it was the moment the penny dropped for the club. And it was needed.
    I think that point in time, when the Warne doubt was at it's highest, that neither camp was wrong. One camp were fed up with things as they were in reality. One camp were optimistic things would improve. I'd also argue both camps were right because despite results improving, arguably the football didn't. So some very valid questions remained.
    However it's results that get you up, so most sane doubters were placated. And we did go up. Because we're Derby and we're brilliant, regardless of who's in charge.
    But I'm always wrong, so feel free to disagree.
  13. Clap
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from GB SPORTS in Paul Warne   
    I've been called all sorts too. Like you, I'm happy to brush it off, but it was getting pretty toxic in here. Rather than stop posting, I just reeled in my thoughts on things for a while. Tried to focus on the positives. Tried to have a laugh when things were bad, as well as good.
    I think most of what you say is absolutely spot on, for what it's worth.
     
  14. Cheers
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from sage in Paul Warne   
    I've been called all sorts too. Like you, I'm happy to brush it off, but it was getting pretty toxic in here. Rather than stop posting, I just reeled in my thoughts on things for a while. Tried to focus on the positives. Tried to have a laugh when things were bad, as well as good.
    I think most of what you say is absolutely spot on, for what it's worth.
     
  15. Haha
    Walkley Ram reacted to Kernow in End of season celebrations.   
    My voice still hasn’t come back, I’m worried I may never speak again.
    My partner is asking if it’s possible for Derby to get promoted every week.
  16. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to CBRammette in End of season celebrations.   
    Love that the players are still posting excitedly on social media like the rest of us
  17. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to sage in Paul Warne   
    I would largely agree but would add that silly stuff on twitter and Facebook was used against posters on here who were arguing constructively.
    I think after the Stevenage and Shrewsbury away games, there was a noticeable but not revolutionary change in playing style which I think produced less criticism as well as better results.
     
     
  18. Haha
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from The_Sheriff in Summer transfer suggestion thread   
    Never heard of him.
  19. Haha
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from TomG in Summer transfer suggestion thread   
    Never heard of him.
  20. Haha
    Walkley Ram reacted to Gaspode in Recruitment Team   
    possibly in the next transfer window?

  21. Like
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from Ken Tram in Paul Warne   
    Wasn't that thread from October, when things were looking absolutely dire on the pitch? I appreciate it's a results business, but at the time we were getting neither the results nor a performance. We'd barely troubled the top six the previous season, and looked set to repeat the same again.
    The message was sent loud and clear that it wasn't good enough. Had things carried on in the same manner, he'd have been out of a job. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. It's also important that Warne at this point was freely admitting things were nowhere near good enough. It wasn't just us Warne outers that were critical. He was agreeing with us.
    Credit given to all involved that following that "altercation" with Hourihane and the fans, results did improve. And that was despite key players being out injured. I absolutely think that the toxicity at the time knocked some reality into the players and staff. I think it was their make or break time. I also absolutely think we'd be nowhere near second had we all just clapped them off every game, and quietly accepted whatever garbage was being served up. I truly think it was the moment the penny dropped for the club. And it was needed.
    I think that point in time, when the Warne doubt was at it's highest, that neither camp was wrong. One camp were fed up with things as they were in reality. One camp were optimistic things would improve. I'd also argue both camps were right because despite results improving, arguably the football didn't. So some very valid questions remained.
    However it's results that get you up, so most sane doubters were placated. And we did go up. Because we're Derby and we're brilliant, regardless of who's in charge.
    But I'm always wrong, so feel free to disagree.
  22. Haha
    Walkley Ram reacted to ck- in Summer transfer suggestion thread   
    He’s not up to much. Couple of good games, red card waiting to happen, injury prone, and won’t step up to the championship. No way should we be negotiating to buy him. 
     
     
    [Come on, we can do this. A couple more posts of this type and they’ll be paying us to take him!]
  23. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to Caerphilly Ram in Paul Warne   
    You’re correct, with my patient optimism I have always been right! And some people have also always been correct in their concerns. But mainly I was right 😉 
    I think the door has swung both ways with the more vocal minority on either side of the argument quick to goad, dismiss, mock, label all season long. Looking at it objectively the following concerns have been raised, some of them are valid and some were clearly short sighted and spiteful, the evidence is there if you go looking from all sides. These are summarised/paraphrased points to try and capture all sides ;
    - “Warne doesn’t have any pull” (disagree here as we’ve signed some effective players this season… and gambled with some injury prone ones)
    - which brings me to point two, “he’s been operating with restrictions so we should be patient.” I always felt there was some logic to this and also agree with the points made that we still could have recruited better when you look at some of the other free agents signed up by our rivals. Overall the group we had were effective and got the job done, hindsight being the wonderful thing that it is I can’t help but wonder if we’d have won the league with a couple of different options.

    - “he only signs old players/cloggers/former Rotherham players” biggest short sighted load of nonsense out of all the criticism for me and one point I’ve been at pains to counter for the last 2 seasons. It’s a generalised and ill informed view that ignores the restrictions at play and also the likes of Nyambe, Adams, Nelson, Wilson, Elder, Ward, TJJ, none of whom are ancient or cloggers or former Warne players.
    - “players don’t want to play for him/he’s a glorified PE teacher/fitness coach” always felt this was unfair and it’s clear by the end of the season that this squad did want to play for him and he’s got a little more about him than some would credit. His man management seems to be a big strength and one people have been quick to dismiss, surely he deserves credit for getting the team over the line even if they are “the best players in the league” and he’s “just done what’s expected of him” 😉 
    - “he’s tactically limited” this is one of the big ones and hard to fully pick apart without a good dialogue from all sides. Part of me agrees and sees it from the football purists point of view that we don’t typically control the ball and control games so see why folks have issues there. But also he has adapted all season, used different shapes, different combinations and still got the job done. It seems to be a case of pragmatism over style which then comes down to preference as many have expressed, it’s not for them that’s fair enough, and others (like myself) are happy seeing us score goals and win regardless of style (which is also fair enough). Though my biggest and remaining complaint with him will seemingly always be his timing of subs, a couple of times this season he’s nailed it (can’t remember specific games) but there have been others when a change was desperately needed and he’s done nowt….come on Paul, save my blood pressure next season please. It’ll be interesting to see how he adapts in the championship with Derby, but I think he’s earned that right.
    - “the football is dire”, another difficult one to reconcile personally for me as I’ve enjoyed it but I get that people want more control in midfield, more passing etc so again it’s a complicated point to discuss with more nuance. Personally I’ve enjoyed winning lots, scoring plenty, improving away and ultimately going up automatically but it could have been smoother sailing for sure.
    - “he doesn’t trust young players”, another of the biggies that so far seems to be evident and is more a wait and see thing for me. He definitely could/should have used the pizza cup to blood a few more youngsters this season then perhaps they’d have been ready to plug gaps when injury struck. However I also see Warne’s point about not throwing them in and “ruining them”, he’s essentially done the job this season but given the investment in the academy and his key it in theory will be to the clubs future this is one he must do better on.
    - “his interviews are *insert positive/derogatory comment*” this is all down to personal preference, some like his interview style and some don’t, if that’s how you feel it doesn’t make you factually wrong it’s just an opinion. 
     
    - “give him time”, seems so far to have been the right shout, earlier in the season understandably more and more people had concerns, I even had my own mini wobble, but essentially the patience appears to have paid off (for this season at least….what happens next we have to wait and see).
    There may be other points but I’ve got to do the school run so feel free to pile on and tell me what I missed and where I’m wrong. My point here is that there are valid concerns all round, and plenty to discuss respectfully, we all want what’s best for the club. 
  24. Clap
    Walkley Ram reacted to Tamworthram in Paul Warne   
    I think those comments came in the immediate aftermath of the defeat at Shrewsbury. Whilst the sentiments might have been valid at the time, the way some people expressed them were not. Perhaps a reason why we should all take a moment before posting after a disappointing defeat rather than ranting whilst emotions are high.
  25. Clap
    Walkley Ram got a reaction from DavesaRam in Paul Warne   
    Wasn't that thread from October, when things were looking absolutely dire on the pitch? I appreciate it's a results business, but at the time we were getting neither the results nor a performance. We'd barely troubled the top six the previous season, and looked set to repeat the same again.
    The message was sent loud and clear that it wasn't good enough. Had things carried on in the same manner, he'd have been out of a job. Absolutely no doubt in my mind. It's also important that Warne at this point was freely admitting things were nowhere near good enough. It wasn't just us Warne outers that were critical. He was agreeing with us.
    Credit given to all involved that following that "altercation" with Hourihane and the fans, results did improve. And that was despite key players being out injured. I absolutely think that the toxicity at the time knocked some reality into the players and staff. I think it was their make or break time. I also absolutely think we'd be nowhere near second had we all just clapped them off every game, and quietly accepted whatever garbage was being served up. I truly think it was the moment the penny dropped for the club. And it was needed.
    I think that point in time, when the Warne doubt was at it's highest, that neither camp was wrong. One camp were fed up with things as they were in reality. One camp were optimistic things would improve. I'd also argue both camps were right because despite results improving, arguably the football didn't. So some very valid questions remained.
    However it's results that get you up, so most sane doubters were placated. And we did go up. Because we're Derby and we're brilliant, regardless of who's in charge.
    But I'm always wrong, so feel free to disagree.
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