Tag: BornOffside.net

FootballOpinion

A Dramatic Day to Come in Leagues One and Two

David Stringer

It’s a bit late in the week, but I’ve covered the events in Leagues One and Two.

This is what cool looks like

Barnet have played their last game at Underhill, home of the famous sloping pitch; Portsmouth have been deducted points this season rather than next, despite already being relegated; Scunthorpe are all but relegated, for the second time in three years; Coventry City FC are – I’m sorry if I don’t seem to be taking it seriously, just laughably villainous.

I’ve also written about the teams still with something to play for on the last round of league matches this weekend.

Click here to read The Lower League Week – Preparing for the Showdown

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Earlier, The Week

David Stringer

I do have a bad habit of neglecting this blog from time to time…

During the week, the latest Lower League Week was published at Bornoffside.net.

born_offside_green

Portsmouth were taken over by their fans, but, along with Bury and Hartlepool, were relegated from League One with two games to play. Yeovil vs Oldham saw father and son managers on the touchline; Torquay’s new chairman is a lottery winner, and the country’s highest positioned female chairman; Danny Wilson was sacked by Sheffield United; and Coventry have outdone themselves in their battle over the Ricoh Arena.

Click here to read Lower League Week – Confirmation of Relegation Edition

FootballOpinion

Patience and Loyalty

David Stringer

In football, it’s an unargued truism that managers deserve loyalty, that the best course of action is to back the man in charge.

But what if the man in charge has spent over a year in charge with no definite sign of forward progress (Martin O’Neill) and there’s a danger of relegation. Should he be allowed more time?

Martin O'Neill looking slightly sad. He probably cheered himself up by attending a murder trial or two.
Martin O’Neill looking slightly sad. He probably cheered himself up by attending a murder trial or two.

When a boss who’s got a good reputation as a coach, but hasn’t done much as a manager, and is taking the team down the table (Michael Appleton), should they be persisted with? Even when the former caretaker manager had a better record, and is still on staff?

I wrote about this dilemma on Friday for Bornoffside.

Click here to read Have Recent Managerial Sackings Been Fair?

FootballOpinion

One Week Plus One Week Equals One Fortnight

David Stringer

After missing last week, I’ve written a Lower League Fortnight, which has just gone live today.

Typically, there’s been some biggish stories breaking while the column was being checked over by the editor, but there’s still been a fair bit going on.

It was decided pretty quickly that Coventry were talking out of their backsides when trying to avoid a points deduction by claiming it’s only an arm of the club that’s gone into adiministration.

This place has caused them a hell of a lot of problems.
This place has caused them a hell of a lot of problems.

Walsall, Port Vale, and Portsmouth have all been in good form; Notts County and Stevenage have appointed new managers that the fans will be familiar with; the Football League Trophy final has been played, with a pro singing the anthems and everything; and Crawley Town decided to stop their local reporter interviewing their manager and players, because they didn’t like the headlines above a few of her articles.

Click here to read Lower League Fortnight – Happiness & Unicorns Edition

FootballOpinion

What Does di Canio Believe?

David Stringer

Just a brief post, linking to a piece I’ve written for Bornoffside today.

Former West Ham striker and Swindon manager Paolo di Canio has been named as the new Sunderland manager, prompting criticism of the fact a ‘self-confessed fascist’ could be given the job. Former MP David Miliband resigned from his position at the club in protest, and there’s been debate about the morality of it all in the media.

I’ve tried to look in a bit of depth at di Canio’s beliefs, how they’re reflected in his management style, compared di Canio’s and Miliband’s morality.

Click here to read Paolo di Canio & The Strongman Principle

FootballOpinion

Is There an ‘E’ in Noticeably? Also, a Delayed Link to Lower League Fortnight

David Stringer

Two weeks ago I couldn’t find the time to write a Lower League Week, so last week I wrote a Lower League Fortnight for Bornoffside, covering the events of both weeks.

Coventry are in a legal mess of their own making; things are starting to look up for Portsmouth (relatively speaking); Bury’s players are on low wages; several of Accrington’s players haven’t been paid, but they now have two England international strikers on their books; the Fleetwood chairman has used Twitter to criticise his players; Southend defender Bilel Mohsni might be taking part in a cage fight; and Dani Lopez scored hat-tricks on two successive weekends, for two different teams, in two different divisions. Not bad.

Click here to read The Lower League Fortnight – Financial Mismanagement Edition

FootballOpinion

A Noticeably Delayed Link to a Lower League Week

David Stringer

I’ve neglected the blog recently, although I have been writing for other places. I’ve written a short story from start to finish, which I intend to try and get published soon (and will write more about in a day or two), and I’ve had promising discussions with a couple of sites about writing for them.

But I’ve also been writing my weekly Lower League Week for Bornoffside, which I’ve not quite got round to linking to from the blog for some reason. I’m going to catch up now, both in this post and another to follow shortly after.

On Thursday March 7th I wrote about Swindon’s new manager, seemingly chosen for his dullness; Coventry being placed under a transfer embargo; Plymouth’s supporters association picking a bad time to criticise the board; Port Vale hitting a rocky patch as they challenge for the League Two title; and Gary Mills, who led York City to two Wembley wins last season, being relieved of his position as manager.

Click here to read The Lower League Week – Noticeably Less Exciting

FootballOpinion

Kick and a Punch for the First of the Month. And a Column on Leagues One and Two

David Stringer

Another Lower League Week has been published at Bornoffside, again quite late in the week.

This week I’ve written about the tightness of the races to get out of and remain in League One; after Jeanvion Yulu-Matondo was apparently released by Bury after one game, he’s given his side of the story; Chris Kiwomya has been given the Notts County job until the end of the season; Bradford and Oldham have both been knocked out of cups; Southend are in trouble with HMRC; John Still has left Dagenham & Redbridge after nine years to take over as boss at Luton; and Oxford’s match was delayed because the goalposts weren’t put in straight.

Click here for The Lower League Week: Moving On And Staying Put

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New Links!

David Stringer

A couple of new links, to things that have been published over the last two days.

I’ve written for Wearegoingup.co.uk, a Football League website, about Hartlepool United’s bad start to the season and recent turnaround. If you’ve not been following Pools (you should have been) the first three or four months were consistently awful. Hartlepool sunk to the bottom of League One, with only a single win, and relegation seemed inevitable. But Hartlepool are now one of the division’s form teams, and seem to have half a chance of survival.

You can read my thoughts at We Are Going Up – Fighting Spirit Restored at Victoria Park

 

Meanwhile, Bornoffside.net have published John Nutter’s Month in Football, which may be the ramblings of an idiot, or which may be me writing in character with the intent of creating laughter.
John Nutter, like all of us who watch football, has opinions on the game. Problem is, he’s not the brightest.

It’d make him happy if you click the link and read John Nutter’s Month in Football

FootballOpinion

Today’s Week

David Stringer

Earlier today I published a brief blog post linking to last week’s Lower League Week at BornOffside: here I link to the edition that was published today.

There’s large sections on Paolo di Canio’s departure from Swindon, and Coventry’s conflict over their stadium.

English football’s most successful twin brothers were both sacked as managers this week,Oldham marched a bit further on in the FA Cup, and Preston North End have appointed a new manager already.

Bilel Mohsni returned to Southend after throwing a Tevez, only for them to wish he’d stayed away, the area finals of the Johnstone Paint Trophy were both this week, and I looked forward briefly to Bradford competing in the League Cup final this Sunday.

You can read all that in The Lower League Week – Unreasonable People