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[Pompey1985]

LS, not sure the hero to zero comparison is right. Most recognize the stirling work he's done @ the club for ages, as a player & working with the youth setup. But its not working for him & there are other issues for a club like ours that are reliant on success on the pitch. Out of all the L2 clubs & probably a fair few L1 as well Pompey is probably atm the most pressurized management position.
If/when Andy goes I'll be sad obviously & grateful for all he's done, but we must move on & get the right man in. Dont be swayed by those shouting from the rooftops that Awfs is any name you care to mention, most of us dont go in for that sort of nonsense.
He'll never be a "zero" in my eyes.

Can you see him making it as a manager?

[Lindford Saint]

] Out of all the L2 clubs & probably a fair few L1 as well Pompey is probably atm the most pressurized management position.

Why??

I would consider those at Cheltenham, Tranmere, Hartlepool, Carlisle and York to be more pressurized as their clubs face dropping out of the league.

[Lost in Transportation]

] Out of all the L2 clubs & probably a fair few L1 as well Pompey is probably atm the most pressurized management position.

Why??

I would consider those at Cheltenham, Tranmere, Hartlepool, Carlisle and York to be more pressurized as their clubs face dropping out of the league.

Entitlement culture.

[Earl Grey]

A monster at CB and a vicious bas##d in defensive mid would sort out most things.

Our defenders (when all fit) are not the problem, Mr The Kid.
Also, in Dunne, we have a decent midfield ball-winner.
What we lack is that clever midfielder who crafts chances with incisive passing and who can hold the ball well.

And yes, a manager with a proper plan would be nice, too...

...a manager who inspires the players to the extent they don't turn up 20 minutes late but are there 20 minutes early, straining at the leash and begging to be picked.

Other than having no right back and no pace I think your sort of right about our defenders. But I do think we need a beast of a man in their as none of our centre backs are paticualry intimidating or a threat in the opposition box at set pieces.


We need players who are allowed to play with some freedom, this squad of players isn't the best in the league but its better than its position shows they are shackled by Awford and his fear of losing. Earlier in the season he tinkered now he doesn't change shape or players.

He doesn't know what he is doing.

Mmm, yeah....forgot about our right wing-back position although Barcham does a passable job there.

Not too sure we need a beast in the middle at the back, though. I don't want the midfield/attack chasing hoofs up the pitch....I prefer the Whatmough/Robbo/Webster approach of bringing the ball out of defence and feeding the midfield.

Let's face it our goals against in that period when all our CBs were fit is pretty decent.

However I fully endorse your point that the creativity and initiative in the team has been beaten out of them by Awford - his zonal restrictions and micro-management from the sidelines is so negative and soul-destroying.

[pompeygunner]

] Out of all the L2 clubs & probably a fair few L1 as well Pompey is probably atm the most pressurized management position.

Why??

I would consider those at Cheltenham, Tranmere, Hartlepool, Carlisle and York to be more pressurized as their clubs face dropping out of the league.

One word, Expectations.

[pompeygunner]

LS, not sure the hero to zero comparison is right. Most recognize the stirling work he's done @ the club for ages, as a player & working with the youth setup. But its not working for him & there are other issues for a club like ours that are reliant on success on the pitch. Out of all the L2 clubs & probably a fair few L1 as well Pompey is probably atm the most pressurized management position.
If/when Andy goes I'll be sad obviously & grateful for all he's done, but we must move on & get the right man in. Dont be swayed by those shouting from the rooftops that Awfs is any name you care to mention, most of us dont go in for that sort of nonsense.
He'll never be a "zero" in my eyes.

Can you see him making it as a manager?

No but thats not the point I was making. I saw Awfs along with a lot of people playing as teenager for us, he's been with us for seemingly decades. Stepped into the breech last season etc. So if he gets the sack I'll be a bit sad but what I dont like is people calling him all names under the sun. The same treatment dished out to GW.
Both GW & AA are IMO decent people & dont deserve that.

[No Shot Sherlock]

No but thats not the point I was making. I saw Awfs along with a lot of people playing as teenager for us, he's been with us for seemingly decades. Stepped into the breech last season etc. So if he gets the sack I'll be a bit sad but what I dont like is people calling him all names under the sun. The same treatment dished out to GW.
Both GW & AA are IMO decent people & dont deserve that.

[Lindford Saint]

] Out of all the L2 clubs & probably a fair few L1 as well Pompey is probably atm the most pressurized management position.

Why??

I would consider those at Cheltenham, Tranmere, Hartlepool, Carlisle and York to be more pressurized as their clubs face dropping out of the league.

One word, Expectations.

Here's where I get called a farkin 'scummer', nothing new I suppose on here, sorry but it is not expectations....... more like delusions from some of the fan base.

I have seen the ridiculous posts on other message boards about the next manager wanted by some including Ian Holloway, Twitchy and Paulo Di Canio. There is also talk of building a 40,000 seat stadium and getting the tax payer to pay for it!

Pompey are currently a mid table League 2 club and until a lot more people realise that fact the delusion will continue. Sort out the club's infrastructure PROPERLY first, build a team properly (not parachute one in using loans and has beens), start some using youngsters. Then maybe expectation can build.

Some people thought that you would walk the league in the first year because you could attract 13-14000 gates (which is fantastic) but unfortunately it does not work like that. Then it was, 'oh players will come to Pompey because we get 13-14000 gates', again does not work like that unless you pay over the odds for them. Tone down the rhetoric, set some realistic expectations as a club and as a fan base and maybe, just maybe you could achieve promotion to League 1.

Get the foundations right and the expectations can grow. Without the right foundations the club is nothing, yes you have some history but what real use is that when only just recently you got some sort of training ground sorted and there is no academy to speak of to build for the future.

Please all take this in the way it was meant and not a dig from a 'jealous' scummer.

What have I got to be jealous about anyway?

[The Cincinnati Kid]

A monster at CB and a vicious bas##d in defensive mid would sort out most things.

Our defenders (when all fit) are not the problem, Mr The Kid.
Also, in Dunne, we have a decent midfield ball-winner.
What we lack is that clever midfielder who crafts chances with incisive passing and who can hold the ball well.

And yes, a manager with a proper plan would be nice, too...

...a manager who inspires the players to the extent they don't turn up 20 minutes late but are there 20 minutes early, straining at the leash and begging to be picked.

Other than having no right back and no pace I think your sort of right about our defenders. But I do think we need a beast of a man in their as none of our centre backs are paticualry intimidating or a threat in the opposition box at set pieces.


We need players who are allowed to play with some freedom, this squad of players isn't the best in the league but its better than its position shows they are shackled by Awford and his fear of losing. Earlier in the season he tinkered now he doesn't change shape or players.

He doesn't know what he is doing.

Mmm, yeah....forgot about our right wing-back position although Barcham does a passable job there.

Not too sure we need a beast in the middle at the back, though. I don't want the midfield/attack chasing hoofs up the pitch....I prefer the Whatmough/Robbo/Webster approach of bringing the ball out of defence and feeding the midfield.

Let's face it our goals against in that period when all our CBs were fit is pretty decent.

However I fully endorse your point that the creativity and initiative in the team has been beaten out of them by Awford - his zonal restrictions and micro-management from the sidelines is so negative and soul-destroying.

Well I'd have to disagree there Mr EG....though of course I'm handicapped by not going to games....but I would say that out rather good record of # goals conceded is not so much down to the excellence of our defense but more down to the lack of forward and adventurous footy and defensive conservatism as promoted by Mr. Awford.. I think the FACT of the matter is that our defense is quite good because we have 9 defenders instead of the 4-5 other teams play. Therefore, if you start with a new manager that understands what it takes to get out of Div 4....well...the 1st thing on my teamsheet is a big strong tall CB that's a goal threat at corners. Now I don't know about your clever midfielder that can hold the ball and deliver the clever pass.....Are there any of these in Division 4? Surely if these exist they are signed to higher division clubs,,,,,but I think you can find a pacy winger...you can find someone that can deliver from the deadball and you can find yer Mick Tait at the back of midfield. As some posters have said on this thread and during the season and even at the seasons start....this team is too small and too lightweight to get out of this Div.

[Pompey1985]

A monster at CB and a vicious bas##d in defensive mid would sort out most things.

Our defenders (when all fit) are not the problem, Mr The Kid.
Also, in Dunne, we have a decent midfield ball-winner.
What we lack is that clever midfielder who crafts chances with incisive passing and who can hold the ball well.

And yes, a manager with a proper plan would be nice, too...

...a manager who inspires the players to the extent they don't turn up 20 minutes late but are there 20 minutes early, straining at the leash and begging to be picked.

Other than having no right back and no pace I think your sort of right about our defenders. But I do think we need a beast of a man in their as none of our centre backs are paticualry intimidating or a threat in the opposition box at set pieces.


We need players who are allowed to play with some freedom, this squad of players isn't the best in the league but its better than its position shows they are shackled by Awford and his fear of losing. Earlier in the season he tinkered now he doesn't change shape or players.

He doesn't know what he is doing.

Mmm, yeah....forgot about our right wing-back position although Barcham does a passable job there.

Not too sure we need a beast in the middle at the back, though. I don't want the midfield/attack chasing hoofs up the pitch....I prefer the Whatmough/Robbo/Webster approach of bringing the ball out of defence and feeding the midfield.

Let's face it our goals against in that period when all our CBs were fit is pretty decent.

However I fully endorse your point that the creativity and initiative in the team has been beaten out of them by Awford - his zonal restrictions and micro-management from the sidelines is so negative and soul-destroying.

We were also playing against the dross that's scrapping for relegation.