Paul Warne

[G STAR RAM]

3 hours ago, angieram said:

Confirmed from those who are/were in and around players pre and post-match at that time, there was a definite in-crowd, with a cruel streak towards those who didn't "fit".

Most thought it was Keogh's way, or the highway. 

Improvement in team morale and togetherness was apparent after he left, although some of this grew out of the tough times we found ourselves in by then. 

Time may have clouded my judgement but I seem to remember the 13/14 team, of which Keogh was captain, as being one of the most tight knit groups we had in a while.

Maybe it was the mercenaries brought in by our cheque waving Chairman that caused the toxicity rather than Keogh?

Just an alternative suggestion.

[Srg]

8 minutes ago, G STAR RAM said:

Time may have clouded my judgement but I seem to remember the 13/14 team, of which Keogh was captain, as being one of the most tight knit groups we had in a while.

Maybe it was the mercenaries brought in by our cheque waving Chairman that caused the toxicity rather than Keogh?

Just an alternative suggestion.

The Lampard team was actually really close knit from the fans POV looking in. Needed to be as well with him managing it. 

[StaffsRam]

2 hours ago, Dimmu said:

Ah, the great Richard Keogh.

He was blaming others for his own mistakes.

A great player, and a great player for us no doubt but I always used to be amused by Peter Shilton whenever he conceded. Whether it was his fault or not (and sometimes it blatantly was!) the reaction was pretty much always the same - hands on hips and the death stare at the nearest defender as though they'd personally called him a c**t! 😄

[angieram]

The telling thing for me is when one of the current players said that apart from a one-night Christmas party, that the trip to Vegas is the first time the players have really socialised together all season because they have all been focused on getting promotion.

That certainly wasn't the case in the Keogh era, and it certainly was him at the centre of some of the in-season does, leading the singing and  sounding absolutely the worse for wear. 

(Some of the WAGS are a bit indiscreet when it comes to sharing things on their insta pages.)

You can think what you want, @G STAR RAM, but I know what I've seen and also heard.

[Reggie Greenwood]

1 hour ago, StaffsRam said:

A great player, and a great player for us no doubt but I always used to be amused by Peter Shilton whenever he conceded. Whether it was his fault or not (and sometimes it blatantly was!) the reaction was pretty much always the same - hands on hips and the death stare at the nearest defender as though they'd personally called him a c**t! 😄

Usually poor Mel Sage , even if the goal had come from down the left. 

[Nuwtfly]

3 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

Time may have clouded my judgement but I seem to remember the 13/14 team, of which Keogh was captain, as being one of the most tight knit groups we had in a while.

Maybe it was the mercenaries brought in by our cheque waving Chairman that caused the toxicity rather than Keogh?

Just an alternative suggestion.

If you ever get the opportunity to chat to someone who was around the team at the time, ask them what sort of “leader” Keogh was during Nigel Pearson’s time at the club.

[Anag Ram]

4 hours ago, StaffsRam said:

A great player, and a great player for us no doubt but I always used to be amused by Peter Shilton whenever he conceded. Whether it was his fault or not (and sometimes it blatantly was!) the reaction was pretty much always the same - hands on hips and the death stare at the nearest defender as though they'd personally called him a c**t! 😄

You don’t have to asterisk clot.

 

[DavesaRam]

On 04/05/2024 at 13:39, MadAmster said:

Promotion should always be the aim. However, not making it isn't necessarily a hanging offence. I want promotion next season. Would love it to happen. Midtable or better would suffice though.

Ipswich? They built over 4 seasons into a team capable of back to back promotions. 2 years ago we had 5 players and no money. We brought in a shedload of players on freebies. 1 year ago we had a bit of a clearout and brought even more in. Today we have 14 players out of contract. Some will retire, some will go back to their parent clubs, some will be let go. We are likely to have an influx of 10 to 12 players again. A million miles away form the Tractors steady build. 

Would I like back to back promotions? Hell, yes. Do I expect it? Hell, no.

Do I expect it? Hell, yes, but not yet!!! We have some building to do!

[Crewton]

9 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

Never seen him play in Spain so can't comment, plus I imagine the game in Spain is quite different to The Championship. 

Nick Blackman was good at Reading, doesn't change the fact he was awful he!

Er, Nick Blackman had a good half season at Reading. Albentosa was playing for Eibar in La Liga when we signed him and earning very good reviews. The Clique were well known for making it hard for newcomers to be accepted, particularly if those newcomers threatened their mates' places. I was told that Albentosa was eating alone in the restaurant at the training ground, which is a pretty miserable scenario when you're in a foreign land away from your family and friends. That may explain why he was a flop here.

[Henrycav81]

5 hours ago, G STAR RAM said:

Which player was it? Surely 7 years down the line, naming them won't be an issue?

Didn’t Stephen warnock say something about it being toxic

[nottingram]

Wasn’t the rumour at the time that Pearson sussed out who the problems were in the dressing room, and in a (very rare) moment of self awareness this caused Keogh to go running to Morris who promptly sacked Pearson thus proving his point?

His ten games or whatever it was were really, really bad, but I do wonder whether things would’ve got as bad as they subsequently did, if Pearson had just been allowed to get on with it. But never mind. 

[G STAR RAM]

6 hours ago, angieram said:

The telling thing for me is when one of the current players said that apart from a one-night Christmas party, that the trip to Vegas is the first time the players have really socialised together all season because they have all been focused on getting promotion.

That certainly wasn't the case in the Keogh era, and it certainly was him at the centre of some of the in-season does, leading the singing and  sounding absolutely the worse for wear. 

(Some of the WAGS are a bit indiscreet when it comes to sharing things on their insta pages.)

You can think what you want, @G STAR RAM, but I know what I've seen and also heard.

Not disputing anything that you've seen or heard but don't there again I don't see anything that you have described there that would make it sound like a toxic environment. 

If I worked in a toxic environment I certainly wouldn't be socialising with my colleagues outside of work?

[G STAR RAM]

4 hours ago, Nuwtfly said:

If you ever get the opportunity to chat to someone who was around the team at the time, ask them what sort of “leader” Keogh was during Nigel Pearson’s time at the club.

Well you obviously have, so why not tell us who it was and what was said?

[G STAR RAM]

2 hours ago, Henrycav81 said:

Didn’t Stephen warnock say something about it being toxic

No idea to be honest 

[MadAmster]

15 hours ago, DavesaRam said:

Do I expect it? Hell, yes, but not yet!!! We have some building to do!

Me 2. Next season would be totally amazing if we were to be up there but it's a tad early for that IMO

[trappatoni]

On 05/05/2024 at 07:07, G STAR RAM said:

Never seen him play in Spain so can't comment, plus I imagine the game in Spain is quite different to The Championship. 

Nick Blackman was good at Reading, doesn't change the fact he was awful he!

Spoke to a former Reading coach once and apparently the consensus there when our bid came in that  Derby were mad.   In his words a very poor footballer who could run, they used to kick it in behind out wide so the keeper couldn't collect and tell him to try and win a throw to get them up the pitch.    Even allowing for a bit of poetic licence on his part it does illustrate how poor our recruitment could be then given we were more of a footballing side. 

[LeedsCityRam]

On 05/05/2024 at 08:08, angieram said:

Confirmed from those who are/were in and around players pre and post-match at that time, there was a definite in-crowd, with a cruel streak towards those who didn't "fit".

Most thought it was Keogh's way, or the highway. 

Improvement in team morale and togetherness was apparent after he left, although some of this grew out of the tough times we found ourselves in by then. 

Chimes with the SBW podcast chat with Gary Rowett a few months back, particularly when talking about Ikechi Anya. Rowett's reason for him not being part of the first team picture was that he didn't really integrate with the group & that the group were quite a social bunch that mixed together. That struck me as a really odd rationale for Anya not playing, especially as I thought he would be an ideal player for a Rowett type side. By all accounts, Anya trained well & was a pleasant individual too.

[Inverurie Ram]

By all accounts he made a shed load of money by staying in the local premier inn and chose not to play elsewhere when provided plenty of opportunities to play elsewhere, a pleasant modern day footballer when the money is more important than playing the beautiful game. 🤣

[nottingram]

1 hour ago, Inverurie Ram said:

By all accounts he made a shed load of money by staying in the local premier inn and chose not to play elsewhere when provided plenty of opportunities to play elsewhere, a pleasant modern day footballer when the money is more important than playing the beautiful game. 🤣

Not his fault we gave him a fat contract then didn’t want to use him 

[RadioactiveWaste]

23 hours ago, LeedsCityRam said:

Chimes with the SBW podcast chat with Gary Rowett a few months back, particularly when talking about Ikechi Anya. Rowett's reason for him not being part of the first team picture was that he didn't really integrate with the group & that the group were quite a social bunch that mixed together. That struck me as a really odd rationale for Anya not playing, especially as I thought he would be an ideal player for a Rowett type side. By all accounts, Anya trained well & was a pleasant individual too.

I was always puzzled by just how little Anya did for us, fairly nippy versatile wide man who could cover both flanks. Never did anything much then just gave up and collected his wages.......I have a vague memory of someone apparently who knew him saying something on twitter amounting to "you guys have ruined a good player, he doesn't even want to play football anymore"