Billy Davies "can't wait" for Billy Davies to return to football management

[scarboroughwa]

2 hours ago, MuespachRam said:

I think I am in love with @Mostyn6.

Billy was great, don't let the fact that he went to Forest cloud your judgement, it only makes you all sound bitter and twisted. 

For goodness sake he got us promoted....and in that squad I would say that only Tyrone Mears would come close to our current squad...and I doubt if he would actually start a game. 

The bloke managed to get us promoted with Darren Moore (one of the slowest, poorest defenders I have ever seen), a bat **** crazy goalie and an average journeyman striker.... And we did it easily, the "we were outplayed by west Brom and didn't deserve to go up" is rubbish, we finished 3rd, I can't be bothered to look it up but I am guessing about 8 points above west Brom.? We were awesome in the play off semi final first leg and battled back again and again in the second. We won a record amount of away games that season didn't we? We were great. 

Thanks Billy.!! 

Semantics are ubiquitous, but the words "Global Embarrassment" are not.

[Jourdan]

Of course, you can attribute plenty of blame to Billy Davies for our Premier League season. But to suggest he was solely responsible seems very harsh, because as we know, as much as one may try, a manager doesn't have complete control behind the scenes.

Everyone knows that the club weren't able to compete financially in the Premier League at that time. Why else did Gadsby and company appear to treat the club like a hot potato?

They were like Conor McGregor in round 2 v Diaz, fighting bravely but it was only a matter of time before they'd be exposed as out of their depth and in panic mode trying to survive or get out as quickly as possible.

To me, I could only conclude that they had bitten off more than they could chew because it appeared as though they wanted to parachute to safety as quickly as they could and escape with any profit they could squeeze out of the deal.

Now, if the consortium didn't see themselves owning the club in the long-term or perhaps they didn't have a good working relationship with the manager, it is easy to see why they may have decided to rein things in and been reluctant to spend. You don't spend money so freely on a girlfriend you're about to leave. Nice farewell meal, at a push. 

But naturally if this were the case, it will have had a knock-on effect on recruitment. When you're shopping in a discount store exclusively, you may stumble across a great deal or two, but you shouldn't be surprised if the majority of what you find and buy is precisely as advertised - cheap and cheap for a very good reason. There was a clear emphasis on quantity and 'good value' over quality. We were always going to find it hard to attract anyone of actual quality due to a lack of financial muscle. How else can you legislate for signings such as Hinchcliffe, Price, Todd, Griffin and Lewis, when one genuinely quality player could have contributed much more than those five?

I could see the logic behind the signings of Earnshaw, Miller and even Davis as they were proven quality and typified the signings most promoted clubs usually make, stepping up from the top of the Championship or similar. Earnshaw was the most exciting and promising signing all summer for me. He had scored goals consistently at every club and every level he had played at, including in the Premier League. Claude Davis had been imperious for Preston in the Championship and impressed for Sheffield United in the Premier League too. Again, he came in with plenty of promise. Kenny Miller again was a proven goalscorer in the Scottish Premier League and the Championship and deserved a chance to prove himself. But those three alone weren't going to elevate us.

But to compound matters, the existing players in the squad didn't have the impact we'd hoped for. Very few of our influential players from the previous season transitioned well, including Steve Howard.

So with uncertainty behind the scenes, an insufficient recruitment policy and existing players failing to bridge the gap, is it any wonder we were so far behind the rest?

We needed a clear vision with everyone on a united front, pulling in the same direction and giving their all and some extra quality thrown in for good measure.

However, we were terribly unequipped and for that, you can blame Billy but he wasn't the only clown at the circus.

 

[G-Ram]

Looked like he'd put on some timber in his last interview... Proper chode wider than he is taller  

[MuespachRam]

6 hours ago, Jourdan said:

Of course, you can attribute plenty of blame to Billy Davies for our Premier League season. But to suggest he was solely responsible seems very harsh, because as we know, as much as one may try, a manager doesn't have complete control behind the scenes.

Everyone knows that the club weren't able to compete financially in the Premier League at that time. Why else did Gadsby and company appear to treat the club like a hot potato?

They were like Conor McGregor in round 2 v Diaz, fighting bravely but it was only a matter of time before they'd be exposed as out of their depth and in panic mode trying to survive or get out as quickly as possible.

To me, I could only conclude that they had bitten off more than they could chew because it appeared as though they wanted to parachute to safety as quickly as they could and escape with any profit they could squeeze out of the deal.

Now, if the consortium didn't see themselves owning the club in the long-term or perhaps they didn't have a good working relationship with the manager, it is easy to see why they may have decided to rein things in and been reluctant to spend. You don't spend money so freely on a girlfriend you're about to leave. Nice farewell meal, at a push. 

But naturally if this were the case, it will have had a knock-on effect on recruitment. When you're shopping in a discount store exclusively, you may stumble across a great deal or two, but you shouldn't be surprised if the majority of what you find and buy is precisely as advertised - cheap and cheap for a very good reason. There was a clear emphasis on quantity and 'good value' over quality. We were always going to find it hard to attract anyone of actual quality due to a lack of financial muscle. How else can you legislate for signings such as Hinchcliffe, Price, Todd, Griffin and Lewis, when one genuinely quality player could have contributed much more than those five?

I could see the logic behind the signings of Earnshaw, Miller and even Davis as they were proven quality and typified the signings most promoted clubs usually make, stepping up from the top of the Championship or similar. Earnshaw was the most exciting and promising signing all summer for me. He had scored goals consistently at every club and every level he had played at, including in the Premier League. Claude Davis had been imperious for Preston in the Championship and impressed for Sheffield United in the Premier League too. Again, he came in with plenty of promise. Kenny Miller again was a proven goalscorer in the Scottish Premier League and the Championship and deserved a chance to prove himself. But those three alone weren't going to elevate us.

But to compound matters, the existing players in the squad didn't have the impact we'd hoped for. Very few of our influential players from the previous season transitioned well, including Steve Howard.

So with uncertainty behind the scenes, an insufficient recruitment policy and existing players failing to bridge the gap, is it any wonder we were so far behind the rest?

We needed a clear vision with everyone on a united front, pulling in the same direction and giving their all and some extra quality thrown in for good measure.

However, we were terribly unequipped and for that, you can blame Billy but he wasn't the only clown at the circus.

 

Excellent post. 

[Mr Tibbs]

19 hours ago, Mostyn6 said:

you're entitled to your opinion @Mr Tibbs but I wholly disagree. So much so, that if you was to take the 10-12, maybe even 15 best performances of the promotion season, and compare to the same number of best games under ANY season under Clough, or this season under Clement, the Davies promotion season wins hands down for both flair and professionalism. We were awesome until ahead under Billy. I recall Sheff Utd at home, Barnsley where Barnes got a couple, WBA at home, Colchester at home, Ipswich at home, Norwich away, Sunderland games, Cardiff at home and the play-off away at Southampton were great performances, and at the time some of these opponents were the top teams in the division.

It's too easy to judge Davies' play-off season by his part of our premier league season. But they are separate. We were never at the races in the Prem.

I'm not arguing BD v NC or PC though mate, they were just as bad! We are what we are and I understand that we're never going to be treated to sublime football consistently, we're a solid championship team and have been for the past decade and a bit. But if I had a choice, I wouldn't want BD back.

Some of those games were very good, just take the two Sunderland ones out.  Roy Keane got the better of us twice, the away game was pitiful bar that sublime Giles Barnes goal. 

[G-Ram]

During the season i wanted Billy Davies gone but on reflection i think we'd have got more than 11 points if we had kept him.

No doubt we'd have still got smashed week in week out but i reckon we might have got 16 points beating Sunderlands 15

So many things went wrong that season and some games we were unlucky some we just simply got beat 6-0

I still think aspects of the side that went up were better than the side we started the prem season with, we lost seth, bisgaard, grant & lupoli went back argusbly all better than some of the players we brought in.  

[Mostyn6]

19 hours ago, Albert said:

You really have run out of points to have a go at if you're resorting to calling me "an outsider"

I didn't call you an outsider, read it again. YOUR opinion is based on what OUTSIDERS say. You constant reference to 'laughing stock' etc.

[ramsbottom]

Two words...

Eddie

Lewis

[Inglorius]

I like Davies, in particular I like whatever club he has managed his absolute accountability and his insistence never to criticise anyone else for his own shortcomings oh hang on my crack pipe is beginning to run out.....

[Albert]

4 hours ago, Mostyn6 said:

I didn't call you an outsider, read it again. YOUR opinion is based on what OUTSIDERS say. You constant reference to 'laughing stock' etc.

Ah, that is a different point. 

My opinion isn't based on "outsiders", but instead I just find it important to point out that Billy did make the club a global laughing stock, and that isn't something that's gone away yet, and is unlikely to for some time. 

[MuespachRam]

I tell you what...if we had been 3-0 up away at Rotherham with 8 minutes left and King Billy was in charge there wouldn't be any of this melt down that is for sure as we would be sitting at home with another 3 points tucked away.

[Anon]

16 minutes ago, MuespachRam said:

I tell you what...if we had been 3-0 up away at Rotherham with 8 minutes left and King Billy was in charge there wouldn't be any of this melt down that is for sure as we would be sitting at home with another 3 points tucked away.

We wouldn't ever be 3-0 up away at Rotherham under your precious Davros. We'd have probably been outplayed for 90 minutes and nicked an undeserved winner after our only talented player (Barnes) produced a moment of individual magic that had absolutely nothing to do with the manager.

[MuespachRam]

1 minute ago, Anon said:

We wouldn't ever be 3-0 up away at Rotherham under your precious Davros. We'd have probably been outplayed for 90 minutes and nicked an undeserved winner after our only talented player (Barnes) produced a moment of individual magic that had absolutely nothing to do with the manager.

and which way would you rather have it? I know which one I would chose every......single.....time..

[Anon]

Just now, MuespachRam said:

and which way would you rather have it? I know which one I would chose every......single.....time..

I'll take the expansive, open, attacking football. I watch football to be entertained, and I will not accept being bored to tears for 90 minutes just so I can gloat about an achievement I contributed nothing towards when the final whistle blows.

[MuespachRam]

2 minutes ago, Anon said:

I'll take the expansive, open, attacking football. I watch football to be entertained, and I will not accept being bored to tears for 90 minutes just so I can gloat about an achievement I contributed nothing towards when the final whistle blows.

So.....you would rather take the exciting football of Kevin Keegans Newcastle team than the winning football of Fergies Manchester United team? Or Wengers Arsenal over George Grhams Arsenal? 

Not for me, I like to win.

[Anon]

Just now, MuespachRam said:

So.....you would rather take the exciting football of Kevin Keegans Newcastle team than the winning football of Fergies Manchester United team? Or Wengers Arsenal over George Grhams Arsenal? 

Not for me, I like to win.

Yep. I think it's quite a stretch for you to imply that Fergie's Man United side were boring, even when compared directly against that amazing Newcastle team. They played good football and won things. It can be done and I think settling for grinding out games because you can't find the right formula shows a depressing paucity of ambition.

[MuespachRam]

1 minute ago, Anon said:

Yep. I think it's quite a stretch for you to imply that Fergie's Man United side were boring, even when compared directly against that amazing Newcastle team. They played good football and won things. It can be done and I think settling for grinding out games because you can't find the right formula shows a depressing paucity of ambition.

well you take glorious failure and let me take winning every week then.

[Albert]

1 hour ago, MuespachRam said:

I tell you what...if we had been 3-0 up away at Rotherham with 8 minutes left and King Billy was in charge there wouldn't be any of this melt down that is for sure as we would be sitting at home with another 3 points tucked away.

3-0 up with Billy in charge? If I recall right we only went scored 3 in about 4 matches that season, and I'm pretty sure we lost one of those. 

Do you really believe that Billy would have survived as manager this season, his football with us was worse than anything we'd seen under Clement, and I doubt Billy would have tolerated the situations that we've had this season. 

Also, we'd be destroyed for the next 5-10 years ago, so rather not. 

[Albert]

1 hour ago, MuespachRam said:

well you take glorious failure and let me take winning every week then.

Billy was the very definition of glorious failure. Not glorious football though, just the failure part. Worst manager in our, and one of the worst in the history of professional football. 

[MuespachRam]

12 minutes ago, Albert said:

Billy was the very definition of glorious failure. Not glorious football though, just the failure part. Worst manager in our, and one of the worst in the history of professional football. 

Totally not true.