THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

The captain changes seem to be puzzling to me, as for the football past and present :
Under Robinson last season, appeared to me we were going backwards, although I don't think we would have gone down, but something had to change, the players that have left haven't really excelled, apart from Reeves, I agree with the other departures, Robinson had had a fair crack, after the promotion, I felt our summer recruitment was all wrong, we should never have gone down, I honestly thought we were better than that, but the table doesn't lie. then it was a snowball affect after that, especially the pressures of playing at home.
As for now, Neilson should have until the end of the season, the football on the whole has been fairly poor in the main, is that the tactics, or believe we have a squad good enough to challenge for promotion, something isn't right, big week ahead, two wins are needed, or the lynch mobs will be out again.
Rome wasn't built in a day.

I'm so confused about this thing about Neilson doing interviews better. Does he fuck.

I'll confess. I used to listen to old interviews of Robinson at work, in bed, on the toilet. I could play you an interview from April this year and ask you what game it was about and you could say it was the game 3 weeks ago. He adds nothing different and chats as much shit as Robinson did in a less entertaining and "cooler" way that gives people this false belief he gives better interviews.

I found Robinson baffling sometimes as much as the next guy but he knew how to take the pressure off his players and would do what Mourinho does best and bring the attention on him and even the referee. Whether he was right to blame the ref or not he knew what he was doing. Because he knew he always had a way of protecting his players. We often saw a response the next game. Not always but often. I used to be entertained by the guy. Even when I disagreed with him I loved hearing him talk. I'd sit in the car and wait until I heard his interview. I genuinely don't listen to Neilson speak until a few days after most games.

Neilson, says the same shit. Something along the lines of "aye.. that's football. We dust ourselves down and go again" like fuck off man. To some people that's great because he doesn't get drawn into controversial interviews. From my POV it comes across like he doesn't give that much of a shit (He obviously does but he doesn't sound like he does) and I feel it's possible it's reflecting on the players. Monotone interviews. Monotone performances. Flat responses to defeats by a manager. Flat responses to defeats by players.

I've not once heard him come out angry. Never hear him frustrated. Never hear him asking questions. Never hear him verbally battling those interviewing him. Robinson and even Ince used to be that awkward guy to interview and could sometimes have the opposite in the manager putting the interviewer under pressure. di Matteo was a bit like Neilson. Pretty flat but at least he was successful with the side he had.

I know who I'd rather listen to on a podcast. Or sit in a room for an hour to discuss football with...

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The most optimistic pessimistic person on this forum.

Apparently.

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Think it's more that he appears calmer, more rational and doesn't give panicked answers after a bad performance. It was never KR's fault when he was in charge, he always blamed the ref, opposition etc. He very rarely blamed the players or himself whereas Neilson seems quicker to do that rather than blame other factors.

KR was more entertaining though!

Nah Neilson tends to just say "that's football". Very fucking inspiring.

Robinson may have blamed others but at least he sounded like he meant it and he bloody cared. He also, to his credit did fairly often blame himself too. He said "I got things wrong" more often than people give him credit for...

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The most optimistic pessimistic person on this forum.

Apparently.

UTF

Personally I have said after a few games into the season that this season is stuffed. It's next season I am looking too .

I agree and disagree in equal measures, yes kr was good at coaching and getting the team to play attractive football but why didn't have the clear out that was needed? Why did he sign such shit players? And don't lay the blame at Bobbys door, it's been made clear on more than one occasion that the manager chooses his players, Bobby just gets the deal done and even Andrew Cullen has been involved in this. Whether Alby is joking or not is irrelevant, we had a very serious chance of being relegated again something which shouldn't have been allowed to happen in the first place imo. Kr proved, not for a fortnight but a season and a half he had gone as far as he could. Sacking him was the correct decision if the timing was wrong imo. I can take losing but turning up watching the dross we are currently watching is getting tedious to say the least but it was also becoming tedious under kr watching the same tactics week in week out with the same crap excuses being rolled out every time. I think this squad is capable of getting better but they need to have these defensive shackles removed.

I agree with virtually all this, with the possible exception that Robbie really gives a shit.

Without the passion for the club, how can he convey the passion to the players.

Maybe had he had more passion, he could have convinced Reeves to stay, and other players to come

While at Hearts he was renowned as an ultra-defensive minded coach. He was mentored by Levein, a man who constantly sets his teams up 5-5-0. Neilson mentioned Levein's input into his coaching style. Safe to say goals at Tynecastle under both of them were as rare as hens teeth.

His managerial reputation was purely built on winning the Scottish Championship with Hearts, over a Rangers team that was in utter disarray. And let's be honest here, the Scottish Championship! Someone on this forum has already mentioned that they watched the 'Gers game the other night, and thought it was poor. Well think of the standard of the Championship!

And as an aside, when we signed Muirhead, my cousin , a Kilmarnock supporter, told me that we'd "signed a good player there". That's what they think is good.

Unfortunately this is what you're going to get from Neilson. So best get used to it.

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

Neilson and his coaching staff appear dull and lifeless on the touch line. I can't imagine them being inspiring in the dressing room.

This squad just ain't good enough though. KR has a far far better squad at Charlton - they should be up there.

I didn't want Robbo to go, but when he did I accepted as the right decision and we had a fillip when Chuks got fit. I now want Robbie to stay, but at the moment he hasn't shown the faith that Pete put in him. If the players are under performing then so is he.

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Disclaimer: All my comments are my opinions unless stated otherwise. I'm just a fan following my club.