Double blow for beaten Oxford United as Richards is ruled out (From Herald Series)

Not bad news at all Re richards, one less dobbin to embarrass us all.

The Ox mail pic and 'headline' on this page of, apparently, Constable ''Relecting on defeat'' made me chuckle, he was doing no such thing- He was, in fact, wondering how he managed (like the rest) to get mud on his boots, on a beach.

In my very humble opinion, the problems at oufc run far deeper than a completely unmotivated 'team' or a hapless manager, his sidekicks, a souless stadium, or even a disgrace of a pitch.
Let's start at the top, and, end there.

Looking back, I am beginning to think that the start of the rot was when KT departed. That aside what is required now is a striker with no fear. That comes from supreme self confidence and we have no one like that, or complete oackbof fear. I.e Tyrone Marsh. Someone who will shoot and shoot and shoot again. Time to start looking over our shoulders boys...

Well Brenda I agree for once. The problems are at the very top and here lies the problem if and when they look for a new manager. With all of the issues blighting the club, who, (with any ability) and in their right mind would want it?
By the way, I've not seen the team unmotivated in any way. Disorganised maybe, lacking ability at times, but always trying to their limit.
I'm not for change, but even I can see it's going to happen. You pray for the right man. It's a tough call.

Ian Greaves turned this club round overnight!! We are not looking for a brilliant manager - we are looking for a half competent one

He did a superb job old boy, but with the greatest respect, the club may have been bankrupt at the time, but they were still a better bet than they are now. A multi-millionaire megalomaniac got Ian Greaves here. Oh for that pulling power now. You won't like this, but we have a half competent manager now. Perhaps we need a fully competent one!

Bring back Marsh.
There must be something very wrong with our training and conditioning to keep getting these injuries. I know it's been said before, but it's really beyond a joke.

Doctor69 wrote:
Bring back Marsh. There must be something very wrong with our training and conditioning to keep getting these injuries. I know it's been said before, but it's really beyond a joke.

Agree with your last point, it all starts badly as we have, apparently, signed players without them having a full fitness test, or knowing they have been carrying injuries.
We then chuck them onto the pitch straight into first team 'action' - inevitably they either have a re-occurence of an old injury- or pick up a new one.
After a 'Quick fix' and sticking plaster they then are played without being fit let alone match fit.
And so it goes. Ariston.

Regarding Tyrone Marsh, i think he's better off out of it at the moment, not the time to be bringing in promising young players, it could destroy them.
Imo, it's IS the time, in fact past the time to be changing the manager.
I'm not sure of the chairman's motives in delaying the inevitable, yes it would save quite a sum if he waits 'to act' in the summer- but if the Club goes down
how cosly would that be.
I'm beginning to think the owner/chairman would not be too perturbed by that. Just the vibes he gives out.

a mental block in front of goal , thats a new one , i did not know whiether to laugh or cry i suppose it makes a change from blaming the ref or injuries .the players should join the long suffering supporters in singing our song -we could not score in a brothel

@Winger whitley....what a deluded person you are still harping on about how the man in charge is the right man.
Will you be saying this come May when we are again in the conference?
It's time for a change pay up his 2 remaining months salary and send him on his way and take the backroom staff with him. Give Chrissy Allen the job who has done wonders with the youth side and will show a abit of passion and not the arrogance of the fools in charge now!
WILDER & HIS MUPPETS OUT!

To be fair, i didnt read the article before my previous post. A cruciate injury can happen to anyone and is a major injury. Point still remains, we get far to many injuires for it to be bad luck?

I agree with all that sugest it is time for a change of manager. Have felt this way since end of last season. Will always remember CW for getting us back into the FL, but his time is up. We are hopeless and i can see us in a relegation dog fight simply because, we cannot score goals. Wilder out.

CRSDC you think I'm deluded? I could say the same about you advocating a youth team manager with no experience of coaching at a higher level, then running a professional team. But I don't resort to that sort of name calling.

If Peter Pan was playing football, there are a lot of our "fans" who would be supporting his team in a Fantasy League because they are living in an idealistic dream world. Every team gets injuries for sure, but ours have been absolutely crippling. So many players have been out for large chunks of the season, not one or two games. Clarke, Whing, Davis, Duberry, Leven, Craddock, Richards (there are probably more!). No Division 2 side can just shrug that aside and expect to play consistently. The club cannot (and should not - I don't want another Swindon situation here) just keep going out and getting more players. There is a wage limit which we must adhere to. Also, for what it's worth, I admire the way Chris Wilder tries to get his players to actually play football. Admittedly it is becoming pretty much impossible as we play on a rugby cooked blancmange, but it's what I want to see. Beware of what you ask for. A new Manager may get better results, but at what cost? I like football, not some of the garbage dished up by some clubs who think it's best just to lump the ball forward. Anyone judging the team based on the last 5 games (without Clarke, Duberry, Whing, Leven, Craddock.......) and calling for the Manager to go is just so very unrealistic in their expectations in my opinion (which is just as valid as those who think otherwise but try to tell everyone else that they are wrong). I don't want a new player or a new Manager, I just want a half decent pitch because the current one is truly awful. Still, on the bright side, I'm sure Firoz is laughing all the way to the bank (again!!). He probably has shares in a sand company because half of the pitch is now made out of it!

How we ever got into this situation is beyond me, oh i remember, we kept Wilder on for to long, all he does is employ unfit donkeys (see Montrose) and slow midfield players, he lets decent players leave, see Green, Midson, and as for the young players they hardly get a chance, Max and Tyrone one each before either out on loan or bench warming.

Sorry Wilder but your time is up, hop in a taxi back to Halifax.

Surely the owner must know our thoughts about our manager? If he does, why won't he bluddy do something to placate us? He won't have many fans left, soon. 5000 against Fleetwood? Yeah, right! They obviously added the people who originally bought tickets in December, for this match, plus season ticket holders, because there were far few than five bluddy thousand last night!

winger whitley wrote:
He did a superb job old boy, but with the greatest respect, the club may have been bankrupt at the time, but they were still a better bet than they are now. A multi-millionaire megalomaniac got Ian Greaves here. Oh for that pulling power now. You won't like this, but we have a half competent manager now. Perhaps we need a fully competent one!

whatever

There is only one thing that matters now and that is to secure the points we need to stay out of the conference. I agree with Barbara. Sacking the manager now would be a big risk. Jim smith coming back proved that. Make sure we are safe first then decide if there are changes necessary. Losing our league status is much too grim to even think about. I have one question thou. This task force that mr Linnagan is setting up to find what is the best way for the club to go forward. I mean who is going to perform it. Some people inside the club. Somebody outside and independant. Are they going to make the findings public or keep everybody in the dark ? And if it worth the money as i dare say the answers are so bleeding obvious that you will end up with the same answers just by sitting down in a pub somewhere with Barbara,Oldun and Adliber over a beer and a pie. Thou the prices Kassam charges that would not be cheap neither.

At last,someone posting comments that mean something(on the bench).Any club with a wage cap cannot just go out and sign up new players.Our injury list read likesomething from a fantasy football league and how can a manager expect to produce decent results when he doesnt know his options from one game to the next. I am sure we will get enough points to avoid relegation and then its up to Mr Lenagan to invest for next season be it with new manager or not.

Will forever be grateful to CW for getting us out of the BSP and didn't jump on the bandwagon earlier in the season when there were a lot of calls for his head. However it looks like another season of mid to lower table obscurity after the recent run (seriously don't think we are worse than the bottom three sides) and think things have just gone stale with CW and OUFC. People saying Mark Yates of Cheltenham would be a good appointment but I'm not so sure he'd leave the Robins in their current league position to come to a 'supposedly bigger club'. Interestingly I read that Graham Westley has just left Preston, not everyone's cup of tea but two consecutive promotions with Stevenage can't be discounted and if, as people seem to be suggesting, a 'root and branch' overhaul of the playing squad is required then he's definitley the man!!

I shall repeat for the benefit of those still harping on about injuries. The reason we have such a large injury list is because CHRIS WILDER SIGNED INJURY PRONE PLAYERS WITHOUT GIVING THEM A MEDICAL.

He has no-one to blame but himself for the crisis. He has wasted his more than reasonable budget for this level on a bunch of crocks. So whilst other teams have gone out and signed players who are capable of lasting an entire season, our transfer policy of the last 2 seasons have been to go out look for players who will hopefully give us 10-15 good games a season if we're lucky. Leven is one of the highest wage earners at the club but he has never been 100% fit since the day he arrived. Granted he is a good player, but a good player who is constantly on the treatment table is no good to anyone. We may as well have Simon Heslop on the pitch. How many games has Pittman actually played since his arrival from Wycombe?

Our playing budget is on the top-end of it's limit because we have expensive players constantly on the treatment table because they have perennial injury problems dating back from before they joined the club. Yet knowing about these problems, no medical was given to them and we signed them anyway. Medicals should be a basic fundamental of any signing. If a player doesn't have one, you don't sign that player. If a player fails it, you can either a: not sign that player b: sign that player on reduced terms c: sign that player on a pay as play deal. If the player doesn't agree to b or c, then we go back to a.

It's nothing to do with bad luck, it's all to do with bad management and bad player selection. For this very reason, Wilder should not be allowed anywhere near the rebuilding of the team that is required. We are in very real danger of going down with this man still at the helm. Anyone who says otherwise are burying their heads in the sand and hoping it will all magically be alright. We've heard the "we're too good to go down" line before and look what happened then.

Bringing a new man in now would galvanise the squad. ou'll see a bit more desire to play well from the team - they'll be playing for their futures. People say we can't afford to sack the manager, I say can we afford not to?

Last night's actual attendance through the turnstiles was 4,500 max. This is 2,000 down on what you would expect for an equivalent game against a side chasing promotion last season. If this continues over the next 8 remaining League games, that will be 18,000 less fans through the turnstiles. Take in tickets, 50/50 ticket sales, programme sales, visits to the club shop - you're in the region of £200-£250K in lost revenue.

Sacking Wilder may not bring all of that 2,000 back, but it would stop the rot and bring a few back - many of whom are loyal OUFC supporters who are disillusioned with what is happening. It will stop the malaise and lift the toxic atmosphere that is currently engulfing the club.

onthebench wrote:
If Peter Pan was playing football, there are a lot of our "fans" who would be supporting his team in a Fantasy League because they are living in an idealistic dream world. Every team gets injuries for sure, but ours have been absolutely crippling. So many players have been out for large chunks of the season, not one or two games. Clarke, Whing, Davis, Duberry, Leven, Craddock, Richards (there are probably more!). No Division 2 side can just shrug that aside and expect to play consistently. The club cannot (and should not - I don't want another Swindon situation here) just keep going out and getting more players. There is a wage limit which we must adhere to. Also, for what it's worth, I admire the way Chris Wilder tries to get his players to actually play football. Admittedly it is becoming pretty much impossible as we play on a rugby cooked blancmange, but it's what I want to see. Beware of what you ask for. A new Manager may get better results, but at what cost? I like football, not some of the garbage dished up by some clubs who think it's best just to lump the ball forward. Anyone judging the team based on the last 5 games (without Clarke, Duberry, Whing, Leven, Craddock.......) and calling for the Manager to go is just so very unrealistic in their expectations in my opinion (which is just as valid as those who think otherwise but try to tell everyone else that they are wrong). I don't want a new player or a new Manager, I just want a half decent pitch because the current one is truly awful. Still, on the bright side, I'm sure Firoz is laughing all the way to the bank (again!!). He probably has shares in a sand company because half of the pitch is now made out of it!

Spot on. Like you, OntheBench, I am amazed that anyone, anyone at all, thinks the injuries we’ve had in the last god-knows-how-many-m
onths are average and normal and an “excuse”. They’ve been – and still are – horrendous, and would challenge ANY manager. Who’s going to be brought in and say “oh, no problem, we’ve only got half a team-full of key players missing”? I, like many of his fellow-professionals
, rate CW highly, and if he’d had anything like his full squad available to him the picture would have been totally different at the end of last season and would be totally different now. Sadly, we live in a culture of blame, an infantilised world in which people look for heroes and villains and comfortingly simple solutions to problems. Slag off CW if you think he’s the problem, but I and many others I talk to really don’t think he is.

The conference is getting closer and closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!

The mighty Poxford with their three sided ground slowy slipping out of the football league.

Happy Days.

I hear Wilder got caught speeding doing 45 mph in a 30 mph area he was so desperate for 3 points.

LeGod wrote:
The conference is getting closer and closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!

The mighty Poxford with their three sided ground slowy slipping out of the football league.

Happy Days.

I hear Wilder got caught speeding doing 45 mph in a 30 mph area he was so desperate for 3 points.

My United colleagues will not rise to that but I will - yes it is getting closer - but we won't be there next season. You will still be one division above us next season - and you know it!! Envious of course

Manor Born: I've just read your very articulate post. I share your amazement at the lack of medicals, but (a) you, like me, know this only because of IL's honesty at the Fans Forum, at which he added that "you can't just blame the manager - it's not that simple"; and (b) in all fairness, how many of the injuries honestly fall into the category of "having signed old crocks... who'll give us 10-15 games a season"? Leven, Davis, Whing and Duberry all played around 40 games last season, only to come unstuck now; Clarke's played nearly 200 in all; Craddock, who's been having a terrible time, has made around 80 appearances. They're all major players for us, and majorly missed.

BYS - how was your long holiday? Bet you are glad I didn't take your money on your suggested bet! COYY

i find it hard to believe that some fans believe that we should re locate to a new ground, it sounds very nice and we all feel that we are being shafted by kassam but just where do they think the neccessary millions are going to come from when we are financially strapped at this time. us oldtimers can remember how long it took for the council to allow our relocation to b,leys and that was bighted by all sorts of cash problems from start to finish which is why we have no fourth stand today. i cannot see any cash cow saviors on the horizon so we will have to bite the bullet and stick with it ,like it or not.

oldun wrote:
BYS - how was your long holiday? Bet you are glad I didn't take your money on your suggested bet! COYY

Sorry, oldun, I think you're confused (comes to us all, I guess). If you've made a bet with someone it must've been another poster. Don't go in for bets myself, especially in something as chance-and-fluke-dep
endent as football. As for my holiday, I do tend to give myself breaks from reading the depressive, negative stuff in these threads, much of which seems to come from people with very shaky grasps on reality. Have fun.

BigYellowScarf wrote:

oldun wrote:
BYS - how was your long holiday? Bet you are glad I didn't take your money on your suggested bet! COYY

Sorry, oldun, I think you're confused (comes to us all, I guess). If you've made a bet with someone it must've been another poster. Don't go in for bets myself, especially in something as chance-and-fluke-dep

endent as football. As for my holiday, I do tend to give myself breaks from reading the depressive, negative stuff in these threads, much of which seems to come from people with very shaky grasps on reality. Have fun.

yeah yeah - selective memory - ok

onthebench wrote:
If Peter Pan was playing football, there are a lot of our "fans" who would be supporting his team in a Fantasy League because they are living in an idealistic dream world. Every team gets injuries for sure, but ours have been absolutely crippling. So many players have been out for large chunks of the season, not one or two games. Clarke, Whing, Davis, Duberry, Leven, Craddock, Richards (there are probably more!). No Division 2 side can just shrug that aside and expect to play consistently. The club cannot (and should not - I don't want another Swindon situation here) just keep going out and getting more players. There is a wage limit which we must adhere to. Also, for what it's worth, I admire the way Chris Wilder tries to get his players to actually play football. Admittedly it is becoming pretty much impossible as we play on a rugby cooked blancmange, but it's what I want to see. Beware of what you ask for. A new Manager may get better results, but at what cost? I like football, not some of the garbage dished up by some clubs who think it's best just to lump the ball forward. Anyone judging the team based on the last 5 games (without Clarke, Duberry, Whing, Leven, Craddock.......) and calling for the Manager to go is just so very unrealistic in their expectations in my opinion (which is just as valid as those who think otherwise but try to tell everyone else that they are wrong). I don't want a new player or a new Manager, I just want a half decent pitch because the current one is truly awful. Still, on the bright side, I'm sure Firoz is laughing all the way to the bank (again!!). He probably has shares in a sand company because half of the pitch is now made out of it!

Are you saying we don't lob long balls in, have you been to a game recently? I think not, this current team/squad is incapable of playing football but I am one of the sheep, still I follow wondering why and where it will take me. I will agree with you that OU have traditionally played football but not any more and the pitch doesn't help at all.

Manor Born wrote:
I shall repeat for the benefit of those still harping on about injuries. The reason we have such a large injury list is because CHRIS WILDER SIGNED INJURY PRONE PLAYERS WITHOUT GIVING THEM A MEDICAL.

He has no-one to blame but himself for the crisis. He has wasted his more than reasonable budget for this level on a bunch of crocks. So whilst other teams have gone out and signed players who are capable of lasting an entire season, our transfer policy of the last 2 seasons have been to go out look for players who will hopefully give us 10-15 good games a season if we're lucky. Leven is one of the highest wage earners at the club but he has never been 100% fit since the day he arrived. Granted he is a good player, but a good player who is constantly on the treatment table is no good to anyone. We may as well have Simon Heslop on the pitch. How many games has Pittman actually played since his arrival from Wycombe?

Our playing budget is on the top-end of it's limit because we have expensive players constantly on the treatment table because they have perennial injury problems dating back from before they joined the club. Yet knowing about these problems, no medical was given to them and we signed them anyway. Medicals should be a basic fundamental of any signing. If a player doesn't have one, you don't sign that player. If a player fails it, you can either a: not sign that player b: sign that player on reduced terms c: sign that player on a pay as play deal. If the player doesn't agree to b or c, then we go back to a.

It's nothing to do with bad luck, it's all to do with bad management and bad player selection. For this very reason, Wilder should not be allowed anywhere near the rebuilding of the team that is required. We are in very real danger of going down with this man still at the helm. Anyone who says otherwise are burying their heads in the sand and hoping it will all magically be alright. We've heard the "we're too good to go down" line before and look what happened then.

Bringing a new man in now would galvanise the squad. ou'll see a bit more desire to play well from the team - they'll be playing for their futures. People say we can't afford to sack the manager, I say can we afford not to?

Last night's actual attendance through the turnstiles was 4,500 max. This is 2,000 down on what you would expect for an equivalent game against a side chasing promotion last season. If this continues over the next 8 remaining League games, that will be 18,000 less fans through the turnstiles. Take in tickets, 50/50 ticket sales, programme sales, visits to the club shop - you're in the region of £200-£250K in lost revenue.

Sacking Wilder may not bring all of that 2,000 back, but it would stop the rot and bring a few back - many of whom are loyal OUFC supporters who are disillusioned with what is happening. It will stop the malaise and lift the toxic atmosphere that is currently engulfing the club.

Here I go again totally agreeing with you Manor Born, did we stand on the London Road together in the early days of our league history? We share similar/identical views! What I have a job figuring out is how come Fleetwood have such a big squad,Compared to us on the same wage cap? Could it be their players are on sensible wages? Remember the Hutchinson saga from the conference days, wouldnt move because nobody would match his £2000 a week, how many like him do we have in this squad?

Brenda Jackson wrote:
Not bad news at all Re richards, one less dobbin to embarrass us all.

The Ox mail pic and 'headline' on this page of, apparently, Constable ''Relecting on defeat'' made me chuckle, he was doing no such thing- He was, in fact, wondering how he managed (like the rest) to get mud on his boots, on a beach.

In my very humble opinion, the problems at oufc run far deeper than a completely unmotivated 'team' or a hapless manager, his sidekicks, a souless stadium, or even a disgrace of a pitch.
Let's start at the top, and, end there.

Brenda, as I've been saying for a long time and you've at last picked up on it. It's at the very top that the real problem lies and I truly fear for the future. Just look back at Kelvins departure and Jim R issues...... Wilder is just the whipping boy at the moment and he' s in a no win situation ( and I'm not defending him, but its a fact) the club desperately need top level executive leadership and Mr Leneghan is not that man, he will be happy with a successful Rugby club........

50 years ago this coming Saturday (during the ‘big freeze’ of 62/63) , the Beatles played their only gig in Oxfordshire – at the Carfax Assembly Rooms (just five days after the recording of their first album, Please Please Me). At that time, United were in a spell of over three months (Dec 15- Mar 16) of not playing at home! The only away game they played between Dec 22nd and Mar 9th , was the FA Cup tie at Highbury (undersoil heating) . The Beatles emerging (inter)nationally and United’s first ever Football League season – very happy days for this then teenager . COYY – keep that League status.

Richard Wickson wrote:

onthebench wrote: If Peter Pan was playing football, there are a lot of our "fans" who would be supporting his team in a Fantasy League because they are living in an idealistic dream world. Every team gets injuries for sure, but ours have been absolutely crippling. So many players have been out for large chunks of the season, not one or two games. Clarke, Whing, Davis, Duberry, Leven, Craddock, Richards (there are probably more!). No Division 2 side can just shrug that aside and expect to play consistently. The club cannot (and should not - I don't want another Swindon situation here) just keep going out and getting more players. There is a wage limit which we must adhere to. Also, for what it's worth, I admire the way Chris Wilder tries to get his players to actually play football. Admittedly it is becoming pretty much impossible as we play on a rugby cooked blancmange, but it's what I want to see. Beware of what you ask for. A new Manager may get better results, but at what cost? I like football, not some of the garbage dished up by some clubs who think it's best just to lump the ball forward. Anyone judging the team based on the last 5 games (without Clarke, Duberry, Whing, Leven, Craddock.......) and calling for the Manager to go is just so very unrealistic in their expectations in my opinion (which is just as valid as those who think otherwise but try to tell everyone else that they are wrong). I don't want a new player or a new Manager, I just want a half decent pitch because the current one is truly awful. Still, on the bright side, I'm sure Firoz is laughing all the way to the bank (again!!). He probably has shares in a sand company because half of the pitch is now made out of it!

Are you saying we don't lob long balls in, have you been to a game recently? I think not, this current team/squad is incapable of playing football but I am one of the sheep, still I follow wondering why and where it will take me. I will agree with you that OU have traditionally played football but not any more and the pitch doesn't help at all.

It is because of the pitch that they are having to play it long - that is the point! And yes, I do attend every home game.

BYS: he did indeed say the manager is not entirely to blame, he was also apportioning blame to Kelvin for agreeing to his manager's signings.

Again, alot of the players you list have never been fully fit since they arrived at the club. Craddock, Leven, Davis for example - their fitness has been an issue throughout their careers and is well documented. We were lucky to get as many games out of Duberry as we did. It wasn't the manager's intention to play Dubes as much as he had to, but the professional the Dubes is meant he has kept himself relatively fit throughout his career - his & Clarke's injuries are the only two that have been unfortunate.

How many of the injuries have been soft-tissue injuries? Hamstrings, groins, ligaments? Not too many have been impact injuries. This suggests there is something very wrong with the fitness regime. It is noticeable that the injuries we get are always to the same players. Coincidence? No, it's because the club have failed to pick up on potential issues and problems due to the lack of a medical.

A medical shows where there are potential problems and how they can be managed with correct programmes to prevent them from being an issue. Because the club have been so cavalier about it, they denied themselves the opportunity to do this. This all comes once more back to the manager. He would have been the one to say this player doesn't need a medical.

He is ultimately responsible for player acquisition, he is ultimately responsible for identifying the players and bringing them to his club. If you were the chairman having seen his track record for bringing in expensive, almost constantly injured and never quite 100% fit players, would you trust him to spend your money wisely?

I'm not the chairman, but I do have a vested interest in this club. We have 16 players out of contract come the end of the season. We need to start preparing for next season now & we need to make changes in order to make sure that we are preparing for a season in league 2 and not the Conference.

I admire your viewpoint & how you steadfastedly stick to your guns. You argue your case very well. But surely you can see that persisting with a man who is on borrowed time (and knows he's on borrowed time) is detrimental to the future of the club, both in the short and long-term?

LeGod wrote:
The conference is getting closer and closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!

The mighty Poxford with their three sided ground slowy slipping out of the football league.

Happy Days.

I hear Wilder got caught speeding doing 45 mph in a 30 mph area he was so desperate for 3 points.

Le God is definitely right.

We really would have been better off cheating (again), assembling a squad outwith our means that we ultimately couldn't pay, and hoping against hope that no-one in authority would ever find out.

Despite the fact it didn't work the first time.

Come on Oxford, why can't we just cheat? (We can claim a la Belichick that we just mis-interpreted the rules).

Manor Born wrote:
BYS: he did indeed say the manager is not entirely to blame, he was also apportioning blame to Kelvin for agreeing to his manager's signings. Again, alot of the players you list have never been fully fit since they arrived at the club. Craddock, Leven, Davis for example - their fitness has been an issue throughout their careers and is well documented. We were lucky to get as many games out of Duberry as we did. It wasn't the manager's intention to play Dubes as much as he had to, but the professional the Dubes is meant he has kept himself relatively fit throughout his career - his & Clarke's injuries are the only two that have been unfortunate. How many of the injuries have been soft-tissue injuries? Hamstrings, groins, ligaments? Not too many have been impact injuries. This suggests there is something very wrong with the fitness regime. It is noticeable that the injuries we get are always to the same players. Coincidence? No, it's because the club have failed to pick up on potential issues and problems due to the lack of a medical. A medical shows where there are potential problems and how they can be managed with correct programmes to prevent them from being an issue. Because the club have been so cavalier about it, they denied themselves the opportunity to do this. This all comes once more back to the manager. He would have been the one to say this player doesn't need a medical. He is ultimately responsible for player acquisition, he is ultimately responsible for identifying the players and bringing them to his club. If you were the chairman having seen his track record for bringing in expensive, almost constantly injured and never quite 100% fit players, would you trust him to spend your money wisely? I'm not the chairman, but I do have a vested interest in this club. We have 16 players out of contract come the end of the season. We need to start preparing for next season now & we need to make changes in order to make sure that we are preparing for a season in league 2 and not the Conference. I admire your viewpoint & how you steadfastedly stick to your guns. You argue your case very well. But surely you can see that persisting with a man who is on borrowed time (and knows he's on borrowed time) is detrimental to the future of the club, both in the short and long-term?

On. the. head. nail.

I'm hoping that IL has already got a replacement manager lined up to take over in the Summer.
That way he would save on paying off wilder and still give the new man chance to do some ground work, eg sound out signings.
It all depends on the Chairman, i have no idea if his intentions are honourable as far as oufc go. Just have to wait and see.

onthebench wrote:

Richard Wickson wrote:

onthebench wrote: If Peter Pan was playing football, there are a lot of our "fans" who would be supporting his team in a Fantasy League because they are living in an idealistic dream world. Every team gets injuries for sure, but ours have been absolutely crippling. So many players have been out for large chunks of the season, not one or two games. Clarke, Whing, Davis, Duberry, Leven, Craddock, Richards (there are probably more!). No Division 2 side can just shrug that aside and expect to play consistently. The club cannot (and should not - I don't want another Swindon situation here) just keep going out and getting more players. There is a wage limit which we must adhere to. Also, for what it's worth, I admire the way Chris Wilder tries to get his players to actually play football. Admittedly it is becoming pretty much impossible as we play on a rugby cooked blancmange, but it's what I want to see. Beware of what you ask for. A new Manager may get better results, but at what cost? I like football, not some of the garbage dished up by some clubs who think it's best just to lump the ball forward. Anyone judging the team based on the last 5 games (without Clarke, Duberry, Whing, Leven, Craddock.......) and calling for the Manager to go is just so very unrealistic in their expectations in my opinion (which is just as valid as those who think otherwise but try to tell everyone else that they are wrong). I don't want a new player or a new Manager, I just want a half decent pitch because the current one is truly awful. Still, on the bright side, I'm sure Firoz is laughing all the way to the bank (again!!). He probably has shares in a sand company because half of the pitch is now made out of it!

Are you saying we don't lob long balls in, have you been to a game recently? I think not, this current team/squad is incapable of playing football but I am one of the sheep, still I follow wondering why and where it will take me. I will agree with you that OU have traditionally played football but not any more and the pitch doesn't help at all.

It is because of the pitch that they are having to play it long - that is the point! And yes, I do attend every home game.

Because we didnt lump it long last season every time Dubes got the ball then? Or earlier this season? Agreed OUFC have at times played decent passing football, but lets not kid ourselves, it wasnt the norm.

Big Yewllow Scarf = Wilders little helper

injuries (to below average players) - poor fitness-poor coaching-dreadful management-aimless in Boardroom and destined for return to dark days. Pro Wilder folk are a bit baffling- smug when we win a couple on the defence when it goes wrong(again) and still the manager is the right man for our descent. Well done chaps.

onthebench wrote:

Richard Wickson wrote:

onthebench wrote: If Peter Pan was playing football, there are a lot of our "fans" who would be supporting his team in a Fantasy League because they are living in an idealistic dream world. Every team gets injuries for sure, but ours have been absolutely crippling. So many players have been out for large chunks of the season, not one or two games. Clarke, Whing, Davis, Duberry, Leven, Craddock, Richards (there are probably more!). No Division 2 side can just shrug that aside and expect to play consistently. The club cannot (and should not - I don't want another Swindon situation here) just keep going out and getting more players. There is a wage limit which we must adhere to. Also, for what it's worth, I admire the way Chris Wilder tries to get his players to actually play football. Admittedly it is becoming pretty much impossible as we play on a rugby cooked blancmange, but it's what I want to see. Beware of what you ask for. A new Manager may get better results, but at what cost? I like football, not some of the garbage dished up by some clubs who think it's best just to lump the ball forward. Anyone judging the team based on the last 5 games (without Clarke, Duberry, Whing, Leven, Craddock.......) and calling for the Manager to go is just so very unrealistic in their expectations in my opinion (which is just as valid as those who think otherwise but try to tell everyone else that they are wrong). I don't want a new player or a new Manager, I just want a half decent pitch because the current one is truly awful. Still, on the bright side, I'm sure Firoz is laughing all the way to the bank (again!!). He probably has shares in a sand company because half of the pitch is now made out of it!

Are you saying we don't lob long balls in, have you been to a game recently? I think not, this current team/squad is incapable of playing football but I am one of the sheep, still I follow wondering why and where it will take me. I will agree with you that OU have traditionally played football but not any more and the pitch doesn't help at all.

It is because of the pitch that they are having to play it long - that is the point! And yes, I do attend every home game.

But they prove every game they are not suited to lumping it in and getting on the end of it successfully.

adlibber wrote:
Big Yewllow Scarf = Wilders little helper

injuries (to below average players) - poor fitness-poor coaching-dreadful management-aimless in Boardroom and destined for return to dark days. Pro Wilder folk are a bit baffling- smug when we win a couple on the defence when it goes wrong(again) and still the manager is the right man for our descent. Well done chaps.

Agree on every count. Even allowing for the far too many injuries , CW has done very very poorly for 12 months. Too many of his signings have been pathetic for a number of years . Midson should have been kept. Is BYS a drinking partner of Mr " wildly lacking" - ho, ho!? When he goes, there must be no rush in the next appointment - unless a latter day Ian Greaves or Jim Smith applies (bite off their hand) . I would be delighted even to get an Atkins (boring football and all) A latter day Turner, Saunders, Summers, Greaves, J Smiths , D Smith or (even) Horton might be too much to ask for at this level. However, IL must be prepared to push out the boat for one who is at least Div 3 standard as a manager - there are so so many of at least CW's ability about - aren't there BYT and pals. Far too often since the late 90s , we have had to settle for inept managers . It ain't fair!!

ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Sorry too much is being made of the pitch problem.. Many of the teams in this division have pitches in worse or the same condition. Watch the highlights on TV and you will see what I mean. Past Oxford teams have played excellent football on pitches just as bad as this.

The club is now in a mess £600,000 in debt and rising ad a mnager that should have gone at the end of the last season. Look at the results of the last nine games and the failure to get the three points need for the play offs. Its not just this season!!!

Sorry too much is being made of the pitch problem.. Many of the teams in this division have pitches in worse or the same condition. Watch the highlights on TV and you will see what I mean. Past Oxford teams have played excellent football on pitches just as bad as this.

The club is now in a mess £600,000 in debt and rising ad a mnager that should have gone at the end of the last season. Look at the results of the last nine games and the failure to get the three points need for the play offs. Its not just this season!!!

WILDER WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO !!!

BigCrompy wrote:

LeGod wrote:
The conference is getting closer and closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


!!!!!!

The mighty Poxford with their three sided ground slowy slipping out of the football league.

Happy Days.

I hear Wilder got caught speeding doing 45 mph in a 30 mph area he was so desperate for 3 points.

Le God is definitely right.

We really would have been better off cheating (again), assembling a squad outwith our means that we ultimately couldn't pay, and hoping against hope that no-one in authority would ever find out.

Despite the fact it didn't work the first time.

Come on Oxford, why can't we just cheat? (We can claim a la Belichick that we just mis-interpreted the rules).

and your evidence mr smart @rse of cheating is ....... yes be careful with allegations even in the form of this type of forum.

Either put up or shut up - and worry your own teams demise would be the sensible suggestion here - but you know best as always - or should I say you think you do .

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

No theres more but you lot are suffering enough now - laugh or cry take yer pick ..... stick with CW he's brighten our days lately ... what is your option ...
I wonder if Dubbery would be interested in taking a punt at it as player /manager .... can't do any worse .....he knows how to score goals - well own goals is his speciality :o)

Chish and Fips wrote:

BigCrompy wrote:

LeGod wrote:
The conference is getting closer and closer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



!!!!!!

The mighty Poxford with their three sided ground slowy slipping out of the football league.

Happy Days.

I hear Wilder got caught speeding doing 45 mph in a 30 mph area he was so desperate for 3 points.

Le God is definitely right.

We really would have been better off cheating (again), assembling a squad outwith our means that we ultimately couldn't pay, and hoping against hope that no-one in authority would ever find out.

Despite the fact it didn't work the first time.

Come on Oxford, why can't we just cheat? (We can claim a la Belichick that we just mis-interpreted the rules).

and your evidence mr smart @rse of cheating is ....... yes be careful with allegations even in the form of this type of forum.

Either put up or shut up - and worry your own teams demise would be the sensible suggestion here - but you know best as always - or should I say you think you do .

Ah the virgin is back. Lost your bitty have you?

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

No theres more but you lot are suffering enough now - laugh or cry take yer pick ..... stick with CW he's brighten our days lately ... what is your option ...
I wonder if Dubbery would be interested in taking a punt at it as player /manager .... can't do any worse .....he knows how to score goals - well own goals is his speciality :o)

Pathetic , laughable - powder puff weak shots. Your lot are staying on Div 3 - see ya in 2014-15 - and you know it. How sad is your lonely life?

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

No theres more but you lot are suffering enough now - laugh or cry take yer pick ..... stick with CW he's brighten our days lately ... what is your option ...
I wonder if Dubbery would be interested in taking a punt at it as player /manager .... can't do any worse .....he knows how to score goals - well own goals is his speciality :o)

Pathetic , laughable - powder puff weak shots. Your lot are staying on Div 3 - see ya in 2014-15 - and you know it. How sad is your lonely life?

Obviously the pressure is getting to you Oldun - just think about what we are going through - that's pressure - yours is basically a poor team getting the results it deserves from the lack of investment and possibly leadership.
Your overdue for a manager change - he's stale- but it will be a brave man who takes on your shower and can reckon to turn it round on little or no budget. So if you consider them 'Powder Puff' they may well be, but then with your head in the sand they could well pass you by.

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

No theres more but you lot are suffering enough now - laugh or cry take yer pick ..... stick with CW he's brighten our days lately ... what is your option ...
I wonder if Dubbery would be interested in taking a punt at it as player /manager .... can't do any worse .....he knows how to score goals - well own goals is his speciality :o)

Pathetic , laughable - powder puff weak shots. Your lot are staying on Div 3 - see ya in 2014-15 - and you know it. How sad is your lonely life?

Hope you in a way, you are right about us staying in L1 (Div 3) I personally think it will create more financial issues if we go up too quick after last years promotion storming of L2... and the trail of dust we left you lot spluttering in ..hanging on to those 3 wins then realizing when someone turned the light on what had really happened. DOH !!

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

No theres more but you lot are suffering enough now - laugh or cry take yer pick ..... stick with CW he's brighten our days lately ... what is your option ...
I wonder if Dubbery would be interested in taking a punt at it as player /manager .... can't do any worse .....he knows how to score goals - well own goals is his speciality :o)

Pathetic , laughable - powder puff weak shots. Your lot are staying on Div 3 - see ya in 2014-15 - and you know it. How sad is your lonely life?

Hope you in a way, you are right about us staying in L1 (Div 3) I personally think it will create more financial issues if we go up too quick after last years promotion storming of L2... and the trail of dust we left you lot spluttering in ..hanging on to those 3 wins then realizing when someone turned the light on what had really happened. DOH !!

Had a romantic night, last night, Chish?

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

oldun wrote:

Chish and Fips wrote:

burnseykidlington wrote:
ANYONE under the wilder spell hear this, 2005 (the year we were relegated to the conference) we were 7 pts clear of relegation at this stage, we are 9 clear now so we need another 10 to be safe, can anyone tell me where we are gonna find them? EXCUSE EXCUSE EXCUSE is all I hear.

Chris Wilder thanks for bringing us back to the league, the 3 Swindon wins and being 29 my only oxford wembley, but it has gone stale time to walk or be pushed.

WILDER OUT WILDER OUT WILDER OUT

Those 3 wins were or are the problem they hid the real status or standard of your team and all the backslapping and chest beating was absolutely comical and a disaster was waiting to happen , so whilst we have had issues yours are now coming home to roost and that dark tunnel is getting longer and longer for you lot,..... the 'egg chasers ' seem to be taking over, and these fitness coaches or what ever they are seem to be a disaster too.

You aren't worth the effort. See ya in late 2014 in the League. Is that your best shot!! Laughable

No theres more but you lot are suffering enough now - laugh or cry take yer pick ..... stick with CW he's brighten our days lately ... what is your option ...
I wonder if Dubbery would be interested in taking a punt at it as player /manager .... can't do any worse .....he knows how to score goals - well own goals is his speciality :o)

Pathetic , laughable - powder puff weak shots. Your lot are staying on Div 3 - see ya in 2014-15 - and you know it. How sad is your lonely life?

Hope you in a way, you are right about us staying in L1 (Div 3) I personally think it will create more financial issues if we go up too quick after last years promotion storming of L2... and the trail of dust we left you lot spluttering in ..hanging on to those 3 wins then realizing when someone turned the light on what had really happened. DOH !!

Had a romantic night, last night, Chish?

Was working in East End (London) got home and went out for a Ruby with the other half and she even paid ... my treat she said , now would you argue with that...so yes thank you we did, and hope you did too.

That s the niceties over, now back to football.

What makes some people so bitter? Football is only a ******* game . Shankly (no e) should have known that - and probably did so - unless he was thick! . Swindon have done better than United - grrr! (same was true pre 1960-1961 when I got into United ) . Get back to the more important things in life ... Yes, there are many things which are so . Involve yourselves in many other things before it is too late -both STFC and OUFC fans . Silence (most likely) or abuse will follow

oldun wrote:
What makes some people so bitter? Football is only a ******* game . Shankly (no e) should have known that - and probably did so - unless he was thick! . Swindon have done better than United - grrr! (same was true pre 1960-1961 when I got into United ) . Get back to the more important things in life ... Yes, there are many things which are so . Involve yourselves in many other things before it is too late -both STFC and OUFC fans . Silence (most likely) or abuse will follow

I like a bit of banter and good football discussion as you poss well know - I really get fed up with the offensive personal remarks that some feel they need to use to get the possible one up man ship or that's what they think, shame because it does a possibly spoil a good debate or laugh on here or any other site.
On the Shankley theme didn't he also say 'Football is not a matter of life and death - it means much more than that' or words to that description.

Yes - but he later said "that he was wrong" - football - great fun bit if it is in the ten most important things in your life then I pity you - and I counsel you to "look around". Banter ? At best it is infantile leg pulling and its worst it is offensive garbage.