Let's get off Harry's back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[londonblue]

If I recall Ian Benjamin didn't score all that many goals. He made a huge amount for Brett Angell though, and as a partnership they were pretty awsome. When Angell left and we had just Benji, he was pretty mediocre to say the least.

Matt is like a modern day Ian Benjamin. Benjamin was a master at bringing the ball down and laying the ball off to other players, mainly Andy Ansah or whoever was on the right-hand side of midfield. Benji was never a prolific forward and would often blaze shots over the North Bank from 6 yards, Matt is very similar to that, better outside the box than he is inside but I think Matt can improve his penalty box play.

Glad to see you agree with me...it's interesting that all these nay sayers see things through rose tinted glasses.

 

[GNH]

Glad to see you agree with me...it's interesting that all these nay sayers see things through rose tinted glasses.

It's all about opinions, which is what makes this game so fantastic. In my opinion it's obscence to even try and compare the legend that is Benji to MH, they are just not in the same league in terms of technique and control.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

It's all about opinions, which is what makes this game so fantastic. In my opinion it's obscence to even try and compare the legend that is Benji to MH, they are just not in the same league in terms of technique and control.

His touch to set up Hammell's goal was definitely Benji-esque.

 

[Kris]

I don't thnk Harrold will ever be a fan favourite, whatever he does.

If Harrold ever scores the winner against Col U, watch our fickle fans suddenly start licking his ****. Let's face it, it's the only reason Mr Broughton has a sort of cult hero status on here when the reality is he was a far, far worse striker than Harrold - and at the level below.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

What balance, RC? The criticism of MH is, IMHO of course, unbalanced and not justified by the facts. CC51DAS started this thread specifically for people to comment on the positives - and it has been promptly hijacked. I don't think there is any reasoning over the MH issue, and I frankly have given up hope of seeing any balanced debate on the issue. I won't be boycotting SZ, but at the moment I think I have better things to do with my time.

But if people are entitled to their opinions about MH, and entitled to promote them in strong and straightforward terms, then I think I am entitled to say this. football fans tend to get the team they deserve, and I think that the sort of treatment handed out to Paynter, Harrold, Gower, to name but three, this season, is unlikely to encourage our better players to hang around, new players to sign, our (often undervalued) management team to turn down offers from other clubs, and probably the best Chairman we have had in living memory to continue to invest in the club as opposed to asset stripping it.

I would have thought my smiley face would have told you I was pulling your leg ACU - No need to spontaneously combust! :)

I quite agree some of the treatment handed out to Mr Harrold has been well OTT, but that said, he is a striker who is not scoring goals, and IMO, not offering anything to the team as a whole, so as a result, he is not going to receive any kind of praise from me.

If it was all about effort and commitment, then yes, no issues with that, but it isn't, it's about talent and end product, something Matt doesnt seem to have much of at the moment.

But this situation is hardly unique - fans of every single football club up and down the land will let players know when they are not happy with them, and it has been the same through the decades, and will continue to do so, we are paying consumers at the end of the day, and if the product, or part of the product we receive in return for paying over our hard earned dosh is not up to scratch, then we will not be happy about it.

Personal abuse is, as you say, unacceptable however, and only constructive criticism can be justified - That said, football is a passionate and immotive sport, and supporters will often react to situations at the time without the benefit of hindsight, much like players often do when losing their cool, and you wouldnt want to take that away from the game.

As I said in another thread, my own view is that Matt Harrold should not be in the team, but if you want to direct your anger and frustration at anyone, then it should be the manager - he is the one who picks the team, and he is the one continuing to pick Harrold. It's not Harrold's fault he is still getting picked.

The other circumstance which is possibly leading to such a revolt by the fans is we have other strikers, namely Charlie MacDonald, who seem to be continually overlooked by the management team, and whilst there is no guarantee he will be successful, the fact he isnt getting picked and a striker who isnt scoring shows no signs of losing his place in the team, is only adding to the dismay felt by fans.

 

[londonblue]

That said, football is a passionate and immotive sport, and supporters will often react to situations at the time without the benefit of hindsight, much like players often do when losing their cool, and you wouldnt want to take that away from the game.

Let's just thank our lucky stars that our management team have more sense than that

As I said in another thread, my own view is that Matt Harrold should not be in the team, but if you want to direct your anger and frustration at anyone, then it should be the manager - he is the one who picks the team, and he is the one continuing to pick Harrold. It's not Harrold's fault he is still getting picked.

And as I answered to that point. Given that we're in the playoff places, and haven't failed to score for heaven knows how long you have to assume that T&B have some idea of what they are doing, and if they want to pick Harrold then who are we to argue? I bet T&B wouldn't dare tell you how to do your job, so don't have the audacity to tell them how to do theirs.

I even posted that before I found out Harrold is top of our assists table. How do you square that with "offering anything to the team as a whole"?

 

[Cliff Pavilion]

As I said in another thread, my own view is that Matt Harrold should not be in the team, but if you want to direct your anger and frustration at anyone, then it should be the manager - he is the one who picks the team, and he is the one continuing to pick Harrold. It's not Harrold's fault he is still getting picked.

But the reason he is being picked is partly due to Leon's suspension and because, at present we have nothing much better. Hooper's been tried, Odhiambo was tried. We've now brought Morgan in, and all indications are that Clarke and Morgan is going to be Tilly's first choice pairing as soon as they are available.

Yes everyone is entitled to their own opinion but one thing there has to be is perspective within that. If Matt Harrold was our main man, the person Tilly was putting out there to be our goal getter and our ticket to promotion, then yes, all our supporters would be right to be very worried indeed and we should all be discussing it.

The fact that he is not even close to being given that role and on top of that we have one of the divisions most prolific strikers and midfields is what makes this seemingly endless avalanche of criticism and abuse hard to digest.

 

[Sherif H]

Support the lad for God sake!!...He will be useful for us this season, and as has been statistically proven, his assist record is excellent.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

And as I answered to that point. Given that we're in the playoff places, and haven't failed to score for heaven knows how long you have to assume that T&B have some idea of what they are doing, and if they want to pick Harrold then who are we to argue? I bet T&B wouldn't dare tell you how to do your job, so don't have the audacity to tell them how to do theirs.

I even posted that before I found out Harrold is top of our assists table. How do you square that with "offering anything to the team as a whole"?

T&B probably wouldnt tell me how to do my job - but there is a difference, I pay their wages, along with all of the other fans, so yes, I am entitled to my opinion, and yes, I am perfectly entitled to pass comment on the job they are doing - whether it be praise or otherwise - I would imaging had I of praised Matt Harrold to the hilt, you wouldn't have said how dare I have the audacity to say T&B are doing a good job!

Stats can be misleading - Perhaps saying offering nothing to the team was a slight stretch of the truth, but no stat will make me change my opinion of him unless he starts weighing in with goals - It's as simple as that.

You are correct, we are 5th in the league, and at no point did I suggest the management team did not know what they are doing - so please dont suggest I did - but does that mean us fans have to agree with everything they do? Am I not allowed an opinion? Perhaps you may wish to live in a communist state where opinion is not allowed, but I prefer democracy personally!

 

[Cliff Pavilion]

Am I not allowed an opinion? Perhaps you may wish to live in a communist state where opinion is not allowed, but I prefer democracy personally!

Yes everyone is entitled to their own opinion but one thing there has to be is perspective within that. If Matt Harrold was our main man, the person Tilly was putting out there to be our goal getter and our ticket to promotion, then yes, all our supporters would be right to be very worried indeed and we should all be discussing it.

The fact that he is not even close to being given that role and on top of that we have one of the divisions most prolific strikers and midfields is what makes this seemingly endless avalanche of criticism and abuse hard to digest.

As far as I can see no one is saying you are not entitled to an opinion. In context though, what can be objected to is why it needs to be quite so vociferous.

 

[Shrimper in India]

Support the lad for God sake!!...He will be useful for us this season, and as has been statistically proven, his assist record is excellent.

Well said Sherif.

I am forming the Matt Harold Appreciation Society. PM me if you wish to join.

 

[londonblue]

T&B probably wouldnt tell me how to do my job - but there is a difference, I pay their wages, along with all of the other fans, so yes, I am entitled to my opinion, and yes, I am perfectly entitled to pass comment on the job they are doing - whether it be praise or otherwise - I would imaging had I of praised Matt Harrold to the hilt, you wouldn't have said how dare I have the audacity to say T&B are doing a good job!

You don't pay their wages any more than you do the people who work in the supermarket you frequent. How often do you go in there and tell them how to do their job? Whether we like it or not, we are customers, nothing more, nothing less. Just because we have an emotional attachment to the product doesn't mean we pay their wages.

Stats can be misleading - Perhaps saying offering nothing to the team was a slight stretch of the truth, but no stat will make me change my opinion of him unless he starts weighing in with goals - It's as simple as that.

And there you have the crux of this issue; peoples' intransigence. They simply won't admit Harrold isn't as bad as they want him to be.

You are correct, we are 5th in the league, and at no point did I suggest the management team did not know what they are doing - so please dont suggest I did - but does that mean us fans have to agree with everything they do? Am I not allowed an opinion? Perhaps you may wish to live in a communist state where opinion is not allowed, but I prefer democracy personally!

Where did I suggest that?

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

You don't pay their wages any more than you do the people who work in the supermarket you frequent. How often do you go in there and tell them how to do their job? Whether we like it or not, we are customers, nothing more, nothing less. Just because we have an emotional attachment to the product doesn't mean we pay their wages.

Maybe RC works in pay-roll at Roots Hall?

 

[Richard_Cadette]

Maybe RC works in pay-roll at Roots Hall?

No, RC doesn't work in the pay roll - but if I went into a supermarket and didn't agree with something they were doing with regards to the product, or the service I was buying, then you're damn skippy I would complain and pass comment on how they were doing there job!

Based on your comment that we are customers, nothing more, nothing less, have you not heard of the expression the customer is always right? :)

 

[BoyWonder2]

Well said Sherif.

I am forming the Matt Harold Appreciation Society. PM me if you wish to join.

Already been done I'm afraid :p

 

[WestRoadShrimper]

You don't pay their wages any more than you do the people who work in the supermarket you frequent.

How on earth can you say that? If that was the case we'd get in for free!!!!! The club need the money from the turnstiles, along with all their other avenues of income, to stay afloat. Therefore we DO pay their wages.

Along with the gas, electricity, water, etc... :D

 

[mattytheshrimper]

this sort of comment really ****es me off. without fans no football club would survive. when i heard tillys comments after the rochdale game saying he didn't care what fans thought of his subs and saying its worked for him. this sort of comment is terrible and a kick in the teeth for people who spend all their money on following the team. we all know tilly is ****e at interviews but surely however much stick he gets off the boo boys he shouldn't be saying these comments.

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

this sort of comment really ****es me off. without fans no football club would survive. when i heard tillys comments after the rochdale game saying he didn't care what fans thought of his subs and saying its worked for him. this sort of comment is terrible and a kick in the teeth for people who spend all their money on following the team. we all know tilly is ****e at interviews but surely however much stick he gets off the boo boys he shouldn't be saying these comments.

Good job you didn't hear John Still and Geraint "George" Williams along with Tilly on BBC Essex. To a man reading between the lines they were saying, "fans actually know **** all about football" Williams was particularly disdainful about cyber warriors on the "message boards"

 

[BoyWonder2]

this sort of comment really ****es me off. without fans no football club would survive. when i heard tillys comments after the rochdale game saying he didn't care what fans thought of his subs and saying its worked for him. this sort of comment is terrible and a kick in the teeth for people who spend all their money on following the team. we all know tilly is ****e at interviews but surely however much stick he gets off the boo boys he shouldn't be saying these comments.

But Tilly is right. If he listened to the fans we'd make three subs before half time!

Tilly sees them everyday in training, he knows how the players react to certain situations, he is fully qualified, he is paid to do the job and he knows the players better than anyone else so he is best qualified to do the job.

 

[Beefy]

this sort of comment really ****es me off. without fans no football club would survive. when i heard tillys comments after the rochdale game saying he didn't care what fans thought of his subs and saying its worked for him. this sort of comment is terrible and a kick in the teeth for people who spend all their money on following the team. we all know tilly is ****e at interviews but surely however much stick he gets off the boo boys he shouldn't be saying these comments.

Tilly obviously cares what the fans think. I'm sure he'll be very annoyed at their treatment of his centre-forward, for example. What he means though is that he won't take the supporters wishes into account when he's picking the team and making substitutions. And nor should he.