McCanns not happy

[donnyguy]

Part of interview with free press Ricky Charlesworth

"Players keep asking for shooting sessions in training, but what about shooting out there? (on the pitch) What about scoring goals out there in front of your fans? That's the place you want to score. Not in front of nobody at Cantley...." #DRFC

[Alan Southstand]

He hasn’t found the right formula, yet. Personally, I can’t wait for January!

[Michael Shaw]

"It's not good enough. Bromley fully deserved the win tonight and did a job on us. We just lacked any sort of killer instinct."

"There's no point having all the ball, creating all these chances and then not scoring. You can float around the top six, top seven with the way we're going at the minute."

"Well I'd rather be more clinical than creating loads and not doing anything. I'd rather us have two chances and score from them. There's no sugar-coating it. We have to be better."

Even Grant can see something is wrong even if "the Faithful" can't.

[Spud]

I love Grant, his passion & his honesty, & him & Cliff will get us there, tbf we're not doing too shabby despite not firing yet, are we?
However, as frustrated as he & we were last night, this is as close to hanging the players out as we've seen, as if the management team have done their bit getting em to the final third, then it's up to the players.
Personally, I thought we played well, as did Bromley, who there seems to be a bit of "we should be beating the likes of" snobbery against on here, & maybe from Grant himself. On another night we win that game 3 or 4-1, or even nil if the guy's mis-cue doesn't just sit up nicely for a second attempt.
Granted we should have put one of the many goal attempts away, but we worked the keeper plenty, which we don't always, & I don't think we were as slow & ponderous as we've been in other games so far.
As always on here, after a defeat many of the players aren't good enough & tactically we're getting it wrong, then we win & it's HMS Piss the League.
Let's hope Grant gets the reaction he wants, I'm sure he's calmed down now.

[Tommy A]

In my opinion Grant also needs to look in the mirror.

Too much of his transfer business in the summer is failing to deliver - particularly his midfield and wide players.

We needed first team starters to replace Craig and Adelukan in order to sustain a promotion challenge. Instead we have squad players in Clifton, Kelly, Sbarra and Yeboah to add to existing squad players Hurst and Broadbent.

Everyone on here was astonished when he offered extensions to both sicknotes Close and Westbrooke and those reservations have been completely justified.

We have one decent midfielder in Bailey and one decent creative player in Molyneux. Apart from that Gibson still has a lot to prove and the two main strikers are living on past glories.

This isn't a reaction to a poor result last night. It's been consistently said that we've not performed all that well all season even though results have been ok. As SOD used to say, performances will lead to results in the long run. Our performances so far this year indicate that we will be lucky to end up in the playoffs.

I do think that some of the younger players may become decent League 1 players in two or three years but the remit and the budget was to get out of this league THIS year. We still lack players who are better than average League 2  quality.

An experienced, good quality midfielder would make a massive difference. Instead we have Close not even getting a game because he isn't good enough and Westbrooke on the treatment table (again), both costing significant money presumably. The fact we should have only re-signed one of the two was obvious to everyone but Grant.

That said, I'm still a fan of Grant and hopeful for the rest of the season but I do think Grant deserves to attract some criticism especially if he's dishing it out to the players

[sedwardsdrfc]

This is why I like McCann. Calling things out before they really become a big problem. So many of our former managers just trundle along while we are screaming at the obvious failings! Get in there and sort it before it really hurts us

Look forward to seeing what changes after this to just get that big extra out of them

[colincramb]

In my opinion Grant also needs to look in the mirror.

Too much of his transfer business in the summer is failing to deliver - particularly his midfield and wide players.

We needed first team starters to replace Craig and Adelukan in order to sustain a promotion challenge. Instead we have squad players in Clifton, Kelly, Sbarra and Yeboah to add to existing squad players Hurst and Broadbent.

Everyone on here was astonished when he offered extensions to both sicknotes Close and Westbrooke and those reservations have been completely justified.

We have one decent midfielder in Bailey and one decent creative player in Molyneux. Apart from that Gibson still has a lot to prove and the two main strikers are living on past glories.

This isn't a reaction to a poor result last night. It's been consistently said that we've not performed all that well all season even though results have been ok. As SOD used to say, performances will lead to results in the long run. Our performances so far this year indicate that we will be lucky to end up in the playoffs.

I do think that some of the younger players may become decent League 1 players in two or three years but the remit and the budget was to get out of this league THIS year. We still lack players who are better than average League 2  quality.

An experienced, good quality midfielder would make a massive difference. Instead we have Close not even getting a game because he isn't good enough and Westbrooke on the treatment table (again), both costing significant money presumably. The fact we should have only re-signed one of the two was obvious to everyone but Grant.

That said, I'm still a fan of Grant and hopeful for the rest of the season but I do think Grant deserves to attract some criticism especially if he's dishing it out to the players

Can’t argue with a lot of this to be fair

[dickos1]

In my opinion Grant also needs to look in the mirror.

Too much of his transfer business in the summer is failing to deliver - particularly his midfield and wide players.

We needed first team starters to replace Craig and Adelukan in order to sustain a promotion challenge. Instead we have squad players in Clifton, Kelly, Sbarra and Yeboah to add to existing squad players Hurst and Broadbent.

Everyone on here was astonished when he offered extensions to both sicknotes Close and Westbrooke and those reservations have been completely justified.

We have one decent midfielder in Bailey and one decent creative player in Molyneux. Apart from that Gibson still has a lot to prove and the two main strikers are living on past glories.

This isn't a reaction to a poor result last night. It's been consistently said that we've not performed all that well all season even though results have been ok. As SOD used to say, performances will lead to results in the long run. Our performances so far this year indicate that we will be lucky to end up in the playoffs.

I do think that some of the younger players may become decent League 1 players in two or three years but the remit and the budget was to get out of this league THIS year. We still lack players who are better than average League 2  quality.

An experienced, good quality midfielder would make a massive difference. Instead we have Close not even getting a game because he isn't good enough and Westbrooke on the treatment table (again), both costing significant money presumably. The fact we should have only re-signed one of the two was obvious to everyone but Grant.

That said, I'm still a fan of Grant and hopeful for the rest of the season but I do think Grant deserves to attract some criticism especially if he's dishing it out to the players

Clifton n Kelly are starting most weeks so I wouldn’t call them squad players! Craig took quite a while to impress last season and then kicked on, there’s no reason Kelly can’t do the same.

[Usher wide.]

I love Grant, his passion & his honesty, & him & Cliff will get us there, tbf we're not doing too shabby despite not firing yet, are we?
However, as frustrated as he & we were last night, this is as close to hanging the players out as we've seen, as if the management team have done their bit getting em to the final third, then it's up to the players.
Personally, I thought we played well, as did Bromley, who there seems to be a bit of "we should be beating the likes of" snobbery against on here, & maybe from Grant himself. On another night we win that game 3 or 4-1, or even nil if the guy's mis-cue doesn't just sit up nicely for a second attempt.
Granted we should have put one of the many goal attempts away, but we worked the keeper plenty, which we don't always, & I don't think we were as slow & ponderous as we've been in other games so far.
As always on here, after a defeat many of the players aren't good enough & tactically we're getting it wrong, then we win & it's HMS Piss the League.
Let's hope Grant gets the reaction he wants, I'm sure he's calmed down now.

I appreciate much of what you have said Spud however, as much as Tuesday night’s result was a blow to us, we created as a team so many chances to put that game to bed before half time let alone another 45 minutes.

The fact we didn’t against a team currently in a league position we found ourselves in last season at this time, obviously throws up the questions about team & Grant himself by those who unlike you & me can put that game down as ‘one of those’.

Clearly Grant wasn’t happy because he knows the fans in the stadium would have gone home unhappy too, not so much at the performance as I have to say I wasn’t as one of those fans attending on the night, but more ‘frustrated’ that we couldn’t turn our shots on goal versus Bromley’s into points.

Grant wants us, the supporters, to know that it ‘hurts him’ not to have done better on the night (i.e. ‘rolled Bromley over’ as many expected us to do as shown on the number of texts posted thus far in that vein) but he’s not about to throw the baby out with the bath water just to make a ‘point’ to those players who started on Tuesday, he’s better than that.

He’ll take stock (as should the supporters), go over the last couple of games in detail with the squad & his management team, reboot (no pun intended) then kick on come Saturday (pun intended!).

RTID

[GazLaz]

"It's not good enough. Bromley fully deserved the win tonight and did a job on us. We just lacked any sort of killer instinct."

"There's no point having all the ball, creating all these chances and then not scoring. You can float around the top six, top seven with the way we're going at the minute."

"Well I'd rather be more clinical than creating loads and not doing anything. I'd rather us have two chances and score from them. There's no sugar-coating it. We have to be better."

Even Grant can see something is wrong even if "the Faithful" can't.

I love GM and he’s great but the bit leading up to this line and this line is an odd thing to say… “I'd rather us have two chances and score from them”

Football just doesn’t work like that does it? He’s looking at Bromley being clinical but in loads of games this season they’ve underperformed their “xG” as we did on Tuesday.

Yes we aren’t at our best, yes we are slightly off it in front of goal but our underlying numbers are really good and essentially that’s what you are working towards.

Remember when SoD was in charge and we all thought he was the messiah for saying things about getting the process right and outcomes will be ok if you do that? GM is basically saying the opposite there. He should be saying “keep doing what we are doing but slightly better”.

As previous posters have said GM is culpable in all this. He’s got quite a lot wrong in the last few months, nothing he won’t learn from and nothing terminal, but bits. 

[Spud]

Was it you who was getting yer arse out in the clubshop window btw, Usher? Lol.

[Pancho Regan]

"It's not good enough. Bromley fully deserved the win tonight and did a job on us. We just lacked any sort of killer instinct."

"There's no point having all the ball, creating all these chances and then not scoring. You can float around the top six, top seven with the way we're going at the minute."

"Well I'd rather be more clinical than creating loads and not doing anything. I'd rather us have two chances and score from them. There's no sugar-coating it. We have to be better."

Even Grant can see something is wrong even if "the Faithful" can't.

I love GM and he%u2019s great but the bit leading up to this line and this line is an odd thing to say%u2026 %u201CI'd rather us have two chances and score from them%u201D

Football just doesn%u2019t work like that does it? He%u2019s looking at Bromley being clinical but in loads of games this season they%u2019ve underperformed their %u201CxG%u201D as we did on Tuesday.

Yes we aren%u2019t at our best, yes we are slightly off it in front of goal but our underlying numbers are really good and essentially that%u2019s what you are working towards.

Remember when SoD was in charge and we all thought he was the messiah for saying things about getting the process right and outcomes will be ok if you do that? GM is basically saying the opposite there. He should be saying %u201Ckeep doing what we are doing but slightly better%u201D.

As previous posters have said GM is culpable in all this. He%u2019s got quite a lot wrong in the last few months, nothing he won%u2019t learn from and nothing terminal, but bits.

I wouldn't read anything like that into what Grant said.
He was speaking passionately; you're speaking analytically.

I think he's delivering a kick up the backside / wake-up call to the players and I would rather hear that than some of the drivel we've heard from previous incumbents.

There are two differing assessments here from Spud and Tommy A.
I know which one I align most closely with.
That probably puts me in that dreadful bunch known as 'the faithful'.

[DearneValleyRover]

My lad actually said all the things Grant has come out with in this interview to Grant on Twitter, Grant blocked him?

[graingrover]

We always have to draw parallels , to realise other clubs have also invested , are ambitious and improving .To build with  players that can also compete in League 1 and push for promotion to the championship we should bear in mind lessons from the past .Invest in three high quality players in Jan , Terry Gavin and Grant !
Look back at how Brentford and Bournemouth invested when finishing just behind us in League 1 .

[graingrover]

Who invested at this juncture ..the two clubs who finished behind us .

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We always have to draw parallels , to realise other clubs have also invested , are ambitious and improving .To build with  players that can also compete in League 1 and push for promotion to the championship we should bear in mind lessons from the past .Invest in three high quality players in Jan , Terry Gavin and Grant !
Look back at how Brentford and Bournemouth invested when finishing just behind us in League 1 .

Bournemouth and Brentford are totally different clubs compared to back then and due to much more than 'investment' than we can imagine. More like huge windfalls beyond many clubs of similar size wildest dreams.

However, I would agree about the investment in quality, although in more realistic terms.

I think McCann was always going to assess things after 10 to 12 games, giving every player a good chance to bed in, show what they can do, whilst also assessing the best combinations of players from back to front. He's at that point now when he can raise the bar from those who have shown they can perform and demand consistency. He will also know where we seem to be weak and these next run of games up to Christmas will be critical in deciding what needs to be done in January. If anything, it's likely to be that bit of extra quality we need to cement our position in the top seven and push for top three. How we as a club go about that remains to be seen but, I think we can see one or two loans are likely to be ended. Maybe one or two permanent players loaned out or moved on to make way for players already on McCanns radar.

[ForsolongaRover]

I think it is unfair to compare Rovers with a London club. If there is sensible investment in London the support is guaranteed.

Bournemouth is different, but the income per capita there might be compared with Southampton and Brighton, the only (quite significant) difference being the tiny ground. It is a financial centre though too, particularly for Insurance companies and it was probably attractive because it was close to insolvency, so cheap to buy by its foreign owners.

I have to admit that I was clamouring for more investment in Rovers when we were playing so well in the Championship, but it was probably over-ambitious. The only similarly based club that has reached the PL is Burnley and perhaps Luton too, but it was unsustainable.

Having said that, the Championship is still just about a realistic ambition, but it's looking rather more distant now than it perhaps was in April.

To get out of L2 is about building an effective squad and at our level this is more about talent-spotting and good management rather than spending a lot of money (eg. Gillingham and Bradford). I suppose you might modify that in Wrexham's case, but in there it's not just "lots" of money it's a "Helluva lot" which we don't have. 

[wilts rover]

Bournemouth is different,

Yes very different. They had just been taken over by a Russian oligarch with a mysterious source of funding and were managed in such a way they were found guilty of breaking Financial Fair Play rules in the 2014-2015 season with an overspend of £38 million (following a loss of £10 million in 2013-2014).

https://bournemouth-forum.vitalfootball.co.uk/threads/who-is-maxim-demin-and-where-did-he-make-his-money.16159/

[Padge_DRFC]

Managers don't often mean what they're saying. It's done with a motive instead. Comments like the only create 2 chances and score one.

[Spud]

I think he's happier today.
Apologies if it's been mentioned on another thread already but he was pointing to all the group at the end when his song was being sung, as if to say give them the credit.
Cracking day out, you reds !

[roversdude]

Noticed that too Spud brilliant day out. My lads 4th visit to VP and first time he’s come away happy
Bragging rights go to Idler lol

[Belle_Vue]

Who invested at this juncture ..the two clubs who finished behind us .

Let's not forget, we was also sharing a league with Oldham, Scunthorpe, Bury Hartlepool and Yeovil..

So yes, we might not have had the same highs as Sheff U, Brentford and Bournemouth.

[BobG]

Looking on as a relative outsider these days from what is said in here, from press reports and suchlike, it suggests that maybe what determines both how well we play,and its effectiveness too, is determined to a significant degree by whether or not we play 3 at the back. When we do the outcomes, on the surface at least, are always much more positive.

Or am I deluding myself?

BobG

[In the box]

He hasn’t found the right formula, yet. Personally, I can’t wait for January!

Why what has to happen in January . We have a good squad with two players for every position, our injuries are a lot better than last season and we’re in better league position than last season ie we’re not fighting relegation! There is likely no players available in January better than we have already …. Without paying over the odds to tempt them away  . IMO

[The Dav]

I think they’ll be the odd ‘Gem’ or two out there that Copps and the scouting team have or are lining up ! If they’re anywhere close to last seasons January additions we’ll be very much in the mix! That said he may have to let one or two go out too.

[mushRTID]

I think they’ll be the odd ‘Gem’ or two out there that Copps and the scouting team have or are lining up ! If they’re anywhere close to last seasons January additions we’ll be very much in the mix! That said he may have to let one or two go out too.

We’ve seen already, when we got an injury Grant went straight out and got replacements in Emmanuel and Fleming.

Especially after our start, if there are players out there in January then we will go and get them.

Grant is hell bent on getting out of this league. He will be leaving nothing to chance.