Is a clearout the answer?

[fbm]

I guess we can all come up with some justification as to why we should retain player A or get rid of player B.

But is an end of season cull the right thing to do here?

All professional players have something to offer. We have a decent young squad that should be easily able to hold it's own in League one.

For me, the biggest single improvement that could be made lies very much in the clubs own hands but for some reason they refuse to do anything about it. That is, quite simply, to clamp down on the drinking culture that we now seem to have again.

I for one was not particularly impressed at seeing the pictures of Hammell and McCormack "on the lash" a few hours after we wimped out against Luton. I have also been less than chuffed at reports of various players being smashed midweek on frequent occasions in the season.

These guys are professional sportsmen. Late nights and copious amounts of alcohol do no good to the body and adversely affect fitness and performance.

I don't pay my money to see a bunch of unfit players chase the shadows of real professionals.

If this holiday camp attitude is eradicated, then we'll start winning again with the players we've got.

 

[The Big Shrimp]

The short answer is no, unless the players don't want to be at RH.

As for players being on the lash, they're only doing what the majority of players do. They're doing what most of us do on a Friday or Saturday night knowing they haven't got work the following day.

I don't think the players drinking had any effect on our performance on Saturday or previous games, I think it boiled down to a lack belief in their ability to win.

 

[palexander]

I guess we can all come up with some justification as to why we should retain player A or get rid of player B.

But is an end of season cull the right thing to do here?

All professional players have something to offer. We have a decent young squad that should be easily able to hold it's own in League one.

For me, the biggest single improvement that could be made lies very much in the clubs own hands but for some reason they refuse to do anything about it. That is, quite simply, to clamp down on the drinking culture that we now seem to have again.

I for one was not particularly impressed at seeing the pictures of Hammell and McCormack "on the lash" a few hours after we wimped out against Luton. I have also been less than chuffed at reports of various players being smashed midweek on frequent occasions in the season.

These guys are professional sportsmen. Late nights and copious amounts of alcohol do no good to the body and adversely affect fitness and performance.

I don't pay my money to see a bunch of unfit players chase the shadows of real professionals.

If this holiday camp attitude is eradicated, then we'll start winning again with the players we've got.

Yep, great stuff - I was going to post something like this over the weekend.

I cannot believe there was a thread started glorifying 2 important first teamers out on the **** the day we were relegated - and as you said, its become a common story this season.

Not impressed at all - and (Tilly bash alert), surely this comes down the rules that the manager lays down - so we are to assume Tilly is ok with this current culture at the club?? :rolleyes:

 

[sufcintheprem]

I think half of our problem this season was that we had so many new faces. Some continuity would probably help us greatly.

 

[fbm]

As for players being on the lash, they're only doing what the majority of players do. They're doing what most of us do on a Friday or Saturday night knowing they haven't got work the following day.

But most of us don't rely on our fitness levels to perform our daily duties. And a good many people I know who work for large corporations would be disciplined or maybe even dismissed if they were caught being a bit too easy on the alcohol to the degree that their job was affected.

I'm also not sure that the top players at successful clubs go out as much as our lot do, or even at all during the run up to a game. These lads are privileged for Gods sake. They are paid to play whereas most of us have to work. They train for 2-3 hours a day and sometimes play 2 games in a week. In return they are paid a lot of money (compared to, say, an office worker of a similar age) and I don't think it's too much for me to expect them to do their bit at maintaining their own high level of fitness.

I don't think the players drinking had any effect on our performance on Saturday or previous games, I think it boiled down to a lack belief in their ability to win.

How do we know?

Surely it is any pro sportsmans duty to get their bodies into tip-top condition before a performance. You won't find amateur athletes going out getting drunk. Their attitude to sport is that only dedication and hard work will help them achieve their aim and they can only do that by being better than the competition.

Footballers shouldn't be any different.

 

[Beefy]

The guy who posted the thread said the lads weren't drinking. Or not drinking much. They were catching up with friends who had come down for the game.

If you're waiting for the club to sign 20 young men who don't drink then I think you'll be in for a long wait. We didn't get relegated this season because a few of the players like a few drinks on a saturday night.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I guess we can all come up with some justification as to why we should retain player A or get rid of player B.

But is an end of season cull the right thing to do here?

All professional players have something to offer. We have a decent young squad that should be easily able to hold it's own in League one.

For me, the biggest single improvement that could be made lies very much in the clubs own hands but for some reason they refuse to do anything about it. That is, quite simply, to clamp down on the drinking culture that we now seem to have again.

I for one was not particularly impressed at seeing the pictures of Hammell and McCormack "on the lash" a few hours after we wimped out against Luton. I have also been less than chuffed at reports of various players being smashed midweek on frequent occasions in the season.

These guys are professional sportsmen. Late nights and copious amounts of alcohol do no good to the body and adversely affect fitness and performance.

I don't pay my money to see a bunch of unfit players chase the shadows of real professionals.

If this holiday camp attitude is eradicated, then we'll start winning again with the players we've got.

The answer is: yes, we need a clearout.

 

[Prodigal Son]

Go ask Shaun Goater how many beers he had during a season.

 

[Pubey]

I guess we can all come up with some justification as to why we should retain player A or get rid of player B.

But is an end of season cull the right thing to do here?

All professional players have something to offer. We have a decent young squad that should be easily able to hold it's own in League one.

For me, the biggest single improvement that could be made lies very much in the clubs own hands but for some reason they refuse to do anything about it. That is, quite simply, to clamp down on the drinking culture that we now seem to have again.

I for one was not particularly impressed at seeing the pictures of Hammell and McCormack "on the lash" a few hours after we wimped out against Luton. I have also been less than chuffed at reports of various players being smashed midweek on frequent occasions in the season.

These guys are professional sportsmen. Late nights and copious amounts of alcohol do no good to the body and adversely affect fitness and performance.

I don't pay my money to see a bunch of unfit players chase the shadows of real professionals.

If this holiday camp attitude is eradicated, then we'll start winning again with the players we've got.

i might have confused you with the title, if you read the thread about hammell and macca i said that they weren't drinking. my mate asked if they wanted a beer and they said no. i think they were just catching up with some mates

 

[Pubey]

The guy who posted the thread said the lads weren't drinking. Or not drinking much. They were catching up with friends who had come down for the game.

If you're waiting for the club to sign 20 young men who don't drink then I think you'll be in for a long wait. We didn't get relegated this season because a few of the players like a few drinks on a saturday night.

yeah thats right mate. they weren't drinking and turned down a beer. in the end i'm fully up for them going out the night after the game (seeing as they had just got relegated, i don't think i would fancy sitting at home watching MOTD!)

they were top lads, friendly, dignified and excellent ambassadors for the club

 

[The General]

There is nothing better than having a huge clearout ... !!

:)

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

whilst i think there's nothing wrong with a few beers occasionally I was a bit disheartened to hear about some players (freddy being one) frequently out drinking a lot. Professional football is a percentage game. Your trying always to gain the 1-10% advantage over your opponent. If better fitness produces this percentage then let's be fitter. I must say that the one time I saw Col U on the box (against Ipswich which they were unlucky not to win) the one thing that impressed me was that they were amazingly fit and never stoped running or harrying the opposition. If this is a problem let's work on it.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

Go ask Shaun Goater how many beers he had during a season.

You mean the self-confessed tee-total Shaun Goater?
Never stopped him going on nights out though did it, if you read his book, he just didn't drink anything other than water/juice/coca-cola!

 

[Pubey]

whilst i think there's nothing wrong with a few beers occasionally I was a bit disheartened to hear about some players (freddy being one) frequently out drinking a lot. Professional football is a percentage game. Your trying always to gain the 1-10% advantage over your opponent. If better fitness produces this percentage then let's be fitter. I must say that the one time I saw Col U on the box (against Ipswich which they were unlucky not to win) the one thing that impressed me was that they were amazingly fit and never stoped running or harrying the opposition. If this is a problem let's work on it.

yep i agree... fitness has been an issue, but i know that last season we were super-fit and was one of the reasons why we did so well. i'm not suggesting that there is a bad drinking culture in the club, and im sure tilly and brush have their eyes on it. but i don't think it is the main reason we haven't done well this season and i really don't want people to get the wrong idea about hammell and macca the other night!

 

[Prodigal Son]

You mean the self-confessed tee-total Shaun Goater?
Never stopped him going on nights out though did it, if you read his book, he just didn't drink anything other than water/juice/coca-cola!

That's right,and I have read the book, my point is ban the booze (during the season) if you are a pro, it's down to the management though.

 

[Interpol Shrimper]

That's right,and I have read the book, my point is ban the booze (during the season) if you are a pro, it's down to the management though.

Yes, spot on.
OK fair enough I guess T&B might have turned a blind eye a little bit to try & foster some much needed team-spirit which was missing due to form/new guys settling in/Gutts & Ricketts upsetting the apple-cart but this issue needs nipping in the bud as far as I can see.

Another positive reason to recruit a fitness coach/dietician!