I think it's time for a Rush/ Morris Q and A

[duncanjwitham]

31 minutes ago, tomsdubs said:

Elaborate on a completely different direction? I can't say I understand that statement.

Every statement from Morris was about building a club properly from the ground up, with every team at every level playing roughly the same style of football (decent football, played on the floor).  The intention being that a new manager wouldn't come in and completely change the playing squad and then a different manager would completely change it again.  Then  almost literally overnight, we've got a manager who plays a completely different style of football and we're having to completely change the playing squad.  It's a complete about-turn on everything Morris has said since he arrived.

[BBG83]

Good business for me. Sad to see Martin go, but he's also frustrated the hell out of me for the last 12 months.

Full trust in Pearson and the new strike force.

I'm looking forward to seeing things gradually click into place.

People get hung up on deadline day. Just because Villa and Newcastle have signed a lot of good players, doesn't mean all those players will be happy and/or gel as a team.

Game on.

[WestLondonRam]

I agree with Duncan, we are playing a totally different style of Football with different ethics. 

Is hoofball now the Derby way then? I am not saying that the results are the only thing affecting judgement I am merely saying that if the club is now playing a different brand, changing or evolving do you not think that we should be told what we are in for. 

If we are overhauling the playing staff, changing the style of Football then so be it but what are the aims for this season?

I think the clarity is clear from the club during the good times but as a whole we shrink during the darker days (That's us fans as well). You may not think that the club needs to tell us anything but I believe that we have always had a open club with the fans and I believe that is the Derby way as Mel puts it so lets sit down and see what Rush, Vicars and maybe Mel (Although you guys do make a valid point bout him stepping back) has to say about what is the route to water this year and what the plan is considering the style of football. 

Can you not see that the attractive football is out the window and we are looking like a grind it out daily side at the moment. Our Midfield is made to play classy football not in your face style. If that is what we are looking to do then so be it but, lets be told we are now trying a different tactic as we have not managed to handle the pressure for 3 years..  

 

[WestLondonRam]

1 hour ago, curtains said:

No. 

Q & A for what exactly .

Whats wrong with what's happening after 5 games in the league and 2 cup games. 

A different style of football is happening.. 

Mel openly told us Clement went as he was not conforming to the Derby way... Is this the same exciting Derby way which we are playing now? as I do not believe so. 

We are entitled to an opinion, my opinion is that we have changed Direction so I personally want to know if that is the case. I understand Pearson will make up his own mind on how we play and that is fine, any manager coming in would change it and tweak it but we are now changing brand and style, something which Mel stated we would not change to suit a manager.. 

 

[Curtains]

10 minutes ago, WestLondonRam said:

A different style of football is happening.. 

Mel openly told us Clement went as he was not conforming to the Derby way... Is this the same exciting Derby way which we are playing now? as I do not believe so. 

We are entitled to an opinion, my opinion is that we have changed Direction so I personally want to know if that is the case. I understand Pearson will make up his own mind on how we play and that is fine, any manager coming in would change it and tweak it but we are now changing brand and style, something which Mel stated we would not change to suit a manager.. 

 

Maybe they will do one but I'm not sure of the necessity or the  urgency that's all. 

Might be a good thing on reflection.

 

[BBG83]

Ever thought that 'The Derby Way' simply means 'evolve'?

[cannable]

3 hours ago, RiddingsRam said:

Why do we need a Q&A session exactly? Because we have a new manager and he decides were going in a new direction ? Because we've sold a midfielder who is a good player but inconsistent for a huge fee to a premier league club ? Or is it the fact that we've broke our transfer record to sign a striker to replace one who doesn't fit the new managers style ? 

Think about it . It's change , it's normal at least let's give it time . We haven't even seen our new players playing yet .

 

But that's not the whole context though is it? What you've states has all happened just seven months after sacking a manager for changing too much. It also makes the decision to appoint Wassall a waste of time - time Pearson could have had evaluating the squad. 

This is what people don't seem to get. It's not JUST the change. It's the timing of the change.

Like, we literally sacked our last manager for making changes and yet he changed less than Pearson?! 

[CornwallRam]

I think that the Q and A sessions help build the relationship between club and fanbase. It seems to me that there is a bit of separation between the two at the moment. I think that Mel got things wrong last season with his 'rookie head coach' model. I also believe that he's now back on track and Pearson is starting to reshape the squad in the right way, but it will take time. It seems to me that Mel has a plan, albeit a different one to the one he was going with last time he spoke to us. Personally, I'd like to hear Mel, Sam and Nigel outline exactly where they are trying to take the club.

Our great strength is that we're a community club, but the club has felt a little bit remote in the last few months. A bit of an improvement in communications will go a long way to arresting any discontent before it becomes widespread, and these sessions are always very good at making us fans feel involved - even if the reality is that we're all mushrooms.

[Tombo]

21 minutes ago, Super Johnny Russell said:

Ever thought that 'The Derby Way' simply means 'evolve'?

Slow and small changes over a long period of time, that's evolution isn't it? Upheaval doesn't really fit that. Time will tell if these decisions will work out, I'm calmer after last night and willing to give it time, but don't give them lame excuses for their PR faux pas.

They were talking out of their arses with the Derby Way thing, this is clear to see now.

[RiddingsRam]

1 hour ago, cannable said:

But that's not the whole context though is it? What you've states has all happened just seven months after sacking a manager for changing too much. It also makes the decision to appoint Wassall a waste of time - time Pearson could have had evaluating the squad. 

This is what people don't seem to get. It's not JUST the change. It's the timing of the change.

Like, we literally sacked our last manager for making changes and yet he changed less than Pearson?! 

Don't think we sacked pc for changing anything did we ? We sacked him for his style of play . Which was basically a 433 but slow passing football . PC tried to change things , his first game away at Bolton I remember him playing a diamond midfield , then 442 for a few games but because it didn't work and he couldn't find his best 11 and probably a bit of inexperience he reverted to 433 . 

We're not going to know everything that goes on behind the scenes but there was an obvious reasons we didn't appoint someone untill the summer . Wassall was never going to get the job and I think he knew that . 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Had we won three of our first five, would it needaQ and A?

 

[cannable]

4 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Had we won three of our first five, would it needaQ and A?

Yes… many of the concerns being raised were being raised before the season started and aren't reactions to results.

[Carnero]

3 minutes ago, RadioactiveWaste said:

Had we won three of our first five, would it needaQ and A?

 

Spot on sir.

They don't need to brief the supporters over every decision that they make, this is a multi-million pound business FFS.

Only time will tell whether the Pearson Way works or not - so why do people insist on moaning about a season that has barely started yet?

NEWSFLASH: we've been crap for at least the last 18 months.

By the latter end of this season we will we be better able to judge whether we are or aren't moving forward under Pearson, but in the meantime people just need to relax and support the team.

 

[Mostyn6]

fans of this club deserve nothing from Mel (and Sam), everything they've done has been thrown back in their faces.

Even if they did a Q&A session, every word will be twisted and every statement exaggerated and used as a stick to beat them with.

Nope, If I was Mel, I'd ignore all demands from fans.

Simply, you pay your money you takes your choice. If you don't like it, don't go. We need to dilute the poison amongst so-called fans, so a few getting the hump and staying away is welcomed by me.

Don't get me wrong, the football isn't good, the players are shot mentally. This is the result of fans being a disgrace when things were pretty good.

Maybe @David should re-launch the thread which was a direct a question to the club and suggestions, put what you want to ask in there.

[Day]

1 hour ago, Mostyn6 said:

fans of this club deserve nothing from Mel (and Sam), everything they've done has been thrown back in their faces.

Even if they did a Q&A session, every word will be twisted and every statement exaggerated and used as a stick to beat them with.

Nope, If I was Mel, I'd ignore all demands from fans.

Simply, you pay your money you takes your choice. If you don't like it, don't go. We need to dilute the poison amongst so-called fans, so a few getting the hump and staying away is welcomed by me.

Don't get me wrong, the football isn't good, the players are shot mentally. This is the result of fans being a disgrace when things were pretty good.

Maybe @David should re-launch the thread which was a direct a question to the club and suggestions, put what you want to ask in there.

Ok here goes.

The club suggestion thread, great idea, was talked about with Mel, said the club would obviously use it to gain feedback from the fans. As it became more popular I split the topic up as there was quite a lot of duplicate suggestions. Much easier if they were separated into it's own board. 

The club knew about it, Jed Buxton even signed up responded to a couple, hard to know if some changes were made as a result of the topics but we did see new dugout seats, the perimeter is now grass, yellow seats started to go and they now have real ales in the East Stand, may have had absolutely nothing to do with this forum and not looking for it to take any credit at all.

Anyway, was all great for a while until things went sour on the pitch, suggestions of sign X player, why don't you just take your money and **** off topics started to roll in, started to turn nasty so put all topics on moderation, we had to approve before they appeared on the forum, didn't stop, Was still rejecting loads after every defeat and posts were creeping into topics that were already open instead. Became obvious it had ran it's course so I pulled it.

As for the Q&A thing this morning I saw a post along the lines of, I wonder when the next Breakfast Club is with Mel the control freak, basically questioning when the next brainwashing session is. THAT is exactly why I'm not interesting in running anymore on here, why should I go on a 5hr round trip to come back and read that kind of rubbish for another season? Not just myself but the members that get invited along, it really isn't worth the time and hassle. I can't just stick these members on ignore as they tend to be the ones that also post libellous comments that result in lawyer emails into my inbox, ahh but freedom of speech, we can say what we like, fine, but not on here putting my wallet in the chopping block.

The club are in a lose lose situation with communicating with the fans, can't do no right. 12 months ago Mel was being told to go back behind the scenes, stop being the face of the club, write the cheques but stay out the photos. He's done that, barely seen his shiny head this season but now he's expected to come out and issue statements on why we have sold players and holding Q&A sessions on the poor start to the season.

I would love nothing more than to hear why we have changed the direction the club was heading in, having sat there, explained the clubs plans, the Derby way, how head coaches can come and go but the clubs playing philosophy never changing. I bought into the idea, not brainwashed, it just made so much sense to me whilst others were dismissing it, we need a manager, experienced man in control, no more head coaches or transfer panels. I'm sure there as a poll and the head coach roll was massively in the minority which I found very odd.

Funny how things change when we have the experienced manager that's selling players fans like. What did you expect?

Has Mel listened to the fans too much now, has he held his hands up and said look we were wrong on this, you lot are right, here you go, let's do this, heres the Nigel Pearson that you wanted.

Was the decision not to appoint Wassall based on fans reactions, was you willing to continue with your Derby Way and appoint Wassall but knew the fans wouldn't take to it and possibly effect season ticket sales. The club is a business after all, you have to please your customers. 

Can you explain the thinking of loaning out our 20 goal a season striker, why not straight up sell him, are we sailing close to FFP, is this deal pretty much in place where Fulham can't back out. You can't give us numbers but was this an offer we couldn't refuse, was he happy at the club or did he fancy a change of scenery. 

Can Chris Weale make a decent cuppa, was it not possible to include a clause in Grant or Roos loans? It's not a major one Mel but it certainly is a head scratcher when you can loan a keeper in outside of the window if we literally have no keepers.

Why did the new ticket pricing structure come in after the Villa game, was this based on fan reactions or just a administration delay or lack of sales. 

I would love to sit there with another group of fans that I have selected from the forum with different views to ask the questions, find out the thinking behind it all but whats the point. 

Saying that it would be great to see the club do one at the stadium, apply for tickets online, a night with Pearson, Mel and Rush, hear their thoughts on the season so far and transfer business. Despite the sausageish behaviour by many online there are more that not deserve but would maybe put at ease given a chance to ask questions and receive answers.

We have just loaned out our 20 goal a season striker and there is a lot of confusion out there, some of which maybe caused from last seasons fans Q&A meets as it wasn't just this forum that ran one, the club did a few as well where the same philosophy and Derby way was much talked about.

You will still get those that will call it a PR stunt but it wouldn't have a negative impact on this forum or a small group of members.

[Mostyn6]

@David wholeheartedly agree as you can see by my post above.

But I am intrigued as to what questions fans think they are entitled to ask, and which of those they expect to get answers that they do not already know the answer to.

I reckon I could give answers to almost any question posted, and it be very close to what Sam and maybe Mel would be willing to say. I reckon any half-intelligent poster who has been paying attention could answer them too.

So that's the question, and it's a question that is in my head a lot lately, "What's the point?". I can think of many actions and reactions lately and ask "What's the point?"... booing? abusing players on twitter? constantly moaning? going to the game when you obviously don't want to support the cause? breathing?

[trevor1946]

Moslyn flying the flag again For Mel n Sam,what a servant..words being twisted,that is a good one coming from you

No i dont want a forum with the owner.And Sam Rush talking about football,is a definate no,We have a chairman

And a manager,and only time can dictate the future of our club,Fans have always been fickle,win and all is well.

Lose and total disbelieve,whats new,i know the internet,we can all have our say in the public demain,

The vast majority aint got the time or patience --Thousands who have never run a local football team

Derby fans in the last three years,have seen the Rush way,sack them,Lets hope Mel uses the derby way Patience,

This side has been developed  over 3 years of mismanagement,A good side,not taken to the next level or new phase,

Has promised by Mr Rush,So this failure has to be addressed,This blog  should be discussed at the end of may 2017

 

[Day]

32 minutes ago, Mostyn6 said:

@David wholeheartedly agree as you can see by my post above.

But I am intrigued as to what questions fans think they are entitled to ask, and which of those they expect to get answers that they do not already know the answer to.

I reckon I could give answers to almost any question posted, and it be very close to what Sam and maybe Mel would be willing to say. I reckon any half-intelligent poster who has been paying attention could answer them too.

So that's the question, and it's a question that is in my head a lot lately, "What's the point?". I can think of many actions and reactions lately and ask "What's the point?"... booing? abusing players on twitter? constantly moaning? going to the game when you obviously don't want to support the cause? breathing?

It's not about being entitled, it's remembering that a football club without fans is nothing, the club has been great communicating with fans since Mel has come in, something which should be applauded and continued, this for me at least wouldn't be about performances on the pitch or results. 

You can't just be happy to sit there after spending £25m answering questions and disappear when you loan out your 20 goal a season striker, I don't see you being able to answer that on behalf of the club to be honest, you can come up with theories as we all could but even a simple Chris Martin didn't fit into my plans, I'm looking for more pace up top, scare defenders. Despite his goals you can all see what league you are all in. It's something and that little something can go a long way in calming down the fans right now as some need it even if they don't like the answers.

Yeah you will get the same group that dismiss every word that comes out the clubs mouth but so what, will sound like a hypocrite now from my earlier post but **** them, seriously. 

My question wouldn't be Martin tho, it would be the shift from head coach to manager because it made so much sense, if anything needed changing it was those identifying the players, it's not a job that is easy as Bris makes out and we may have seen several come and go before getting it right, I think most would be more accepting of that than screwing up the whole long term vision for a eggs in one basket approach.

I'll be there v Newcastle again, fully behind Pearson and the team don't get me wrong with or without a Q&A on the horizon, I just feel it would be a nice thing to do from the club given recent events. 

[ossieram]

7 hours ago, WestLondonRam said:

I think there is clearly a change in direction at the club.

i did in fact state selling for good money, the fact that Martin went on loan is bizarre!! 

What about the dross way we are playing? We have all brought into the season with season tickets thinking we will be competing. If we're looking at clearing out and a re-build, I for one would like to know. 

If you can see there is a change in direction, why do you need Mel to tell you?

Appointing a manager instead of a coach should have been enough to let you know that things were changing at the club.

And why would Mel talk to you about how we are playing? He was slated for getting involved in footballing matters and has clearly taken a step back and left it all to the manager.

[Day]

Just now, ossieram said:

If you can see there is a change in direction, why do you need Mel to tell you?

Appointing a manager instead of a coach should have been enough to let you know that things were changing at the club.

True and sorry for jumping in here but if the club are so willing to host Q&A sessions before, making fans aware of the direction they want to take the club, the long term vision, is not fair to think that maybe they should let us update us with the new vision?

Don't get me wrong they don't have to, I'm not expecting or demanding one, it's just that they have been very open with us in the past, running sessions every few months, to suddenly cut things off and go silent will frustrate many, especially given recent events as in the shift from head coach to manager and the Chris Martin loan.

Could already be one long planned on the agenda, just think the timing is perfect now, get it in before the Newcastle game as that could turn very toxic if we see another Burton style performance.