Slightly Disappointed

Having read Archies comments regarding the club not being in a fit state to be promoted ive been left slightly dissapointed. I dont necessarily disagree with him but to hear the manager admit it means that there really isnt anything else to play for if we get knocked out of the trophy I am now in two minds as whether to go tomorrow knowing that he doesnt think we need promotion. Will the players be motivated 100%? I know that the play offs are a big ask but you never know. I am absolutely over the moon about the trophy run but left flat by these comments. I just hope we win the trophy to keep the interest in the season going.I would have liked him to say that he will try to win every game in the league and trophy and see what happens. Sorry to be a misery!

Personally I'm excited to see some of the younger players given a chance in competitive football in these coming Tuesday night matches, roll on tomorrow night

Thats why im in two minds But what if we go out of the trophy? Is it all about youth development for the rest of the season? At a time when we need every penny why did he have to say it? We need to be getting as many people through the gates and spending their money in both league and trophy. He can think it but i dont think he should have made his thoughts public. I really really want us to win the trophy but if it doesnt happen will the rest of the season just fade away even if the plays off are still possible?

Not always happy with what Archie says, but this time he's spot on.
Just been realistic and managing expectations. Surely most of us knew the reality of this season from the first day.

Not always happy with what Archie says, but this time he's spot on.
Just been realistic and managing expectations. Surely most of us knew the reality of this season from the first day.

As i said i dont necessarily disagree with him but wouldnt it be better if the manager had said we will try to win every game and see what happens. If we go out of the trophy he has effectively and publically written off the rest of the season. Why would the floating supporter want to watch a team that isnt interested in promotion? What would be the point?

Eddie Hitler wrote:Not always happy with what Archie says, but this time he's spot on.
Just been realistic and managing expectations. Surely most of us knew the reality of this season from the first day.

At the start of the season didn't the team management say that we have a squad of players capable of getting into the play-offs? Yes, I know they couldn't have envisaged us getting so far in a cup run, with the ensuing fixture congestion that this has brought, but I think Howells should have kept his thoughts to himself and just concentrated on trying to win every game to the best of his ability, with the resources he has, and with due consideration given to protecting his preferred starting eleven for the remaining financially attractive cup matches - but only until we are either knocked out, or it has finished, then go for a final assault for a top five finish unhindered. Having seen our team 'rise to the occasion' and beat several teams above our standard (on paper), if we had been knocked out of the Trophy comp' long ago, I think we could have been near the top of our division by now, if we had played with the same level of commitment throughout our League campaign. Yes, I think most people will say we have had a very satisfactory season if we win this cup, but, if we do not, how can we generate anywhere near the same level of interest amongst the paying public to attend the remaining League matches...........and onwards into next season?

Given City's record in the FA Trophy, it is very likely that this will be the only time in our lifetime for most of us that City will actually be playing in an FA Trophy Semi Final. I am hoping that absolutely everything possible is being done to improve City's chances by even the smallest amount. Of course, that is not something that can then be judged by the result, City could do everything possible to help and still end up losing, that would not make the decisions wrong. As a once in a lifetime opportunity, to me this is far more important than whether or not there could be a chance to reach the Conference South Play Offs.

Therefore, if, for example, Pratt had played on Saturday and been booked, thus missing the second leg of the semi final, and City then went on to lose the semi final narrowly, I reckon a lot of fans would have been pretty annoyed about, even if City had then gone on to beat Gosport.

By the way, there are several inaccuracies in that report in The Chronicle. Firstly, a booking would have ruled Dave Pratt out of the second leg of the semi final, but not the first leg, which the comment in the report suggests. Secondly, there were two players, McCootie and Pratt, for whom a booking would have meant missing the second leg, not three, as mentioned in another comment in the report. Frankie Artus received his ninth yellow card in the Gosport match, so it is only now that he is one booking away from a suspension.

On the other hand, I certainly didn't feel that the team were complacent in the second half. They did look tired, and they did look wary of the possibility of getting injured, and the own goal right at the start of the second half just took the wind out of them. I can only assume that those accusing the team of complancency were nowhere near Privett Park on Saturday. Also, I don't allocate blame for players that were wary of getting injured, again, anything to increase the chance of success in the semi final.

Finally, the major selling point of going to watch non league football is not to do with whether one club or the other is chasing a play off spot. People that see that as the attraction of watching football tend to look towards watching clubs do that on the TV rather than on the terraces of a non league ground. The attraction is far more to do with the pleasure of watching a match between teams that are not so distanced from the fans, at an affordable price, in friendly company. For example, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of going to watch Saturday's match between Gosport and City, it was friendly, I was in good company, it was affordable, and I could discuss aspects of the match with people actually involved in it afterwards. These things are far more important to those watching than anything to do with play offs.

Arch is right and for me his passion and determination to achieve unparalleled success for the club was there for all to see in that interview, also perhaps his frustration at the team getting nothing from Gosport. Also for Arch to play and manage at Wembley would be something not often done at any level.

Theres gonna be a lot of Tuesday night football coming up so plenty of chances for the youngsters to get some experience and perhaps earn their chance of a squad place next season.

I should clarify that i dont fall out with resting players to protect them for the trophy. It is the way in which the league campaign has been written off for the remainder of the season if we are not successful in the trophy.

I disagree about the play offs not being important. I love all the things that you list about non league football but any team must want to do the best they can regardless of the standard otherwise its all a bit pointless.

A36:-
I do not disagree with any of the points you have made, but they are your opinions. What is significant is that they do not clash with anything that I have written. You have essentially made clear that you think that winning the Trophy comp' is far more important than getting into the play-offs, and that sacrificing a League game or three is well worth it. I am certain that the majority of the Board wholeheartedly agree with you, but not, maybe, for the same reason! What I was trying to put across was that we must not dismiss 'doing the double' until it is mathematically impossible to achieve. I really do believe that fans will not be attracted through the turnstiles to watch a team under orders to play out the season (the players will always be trying but not if they ain't picked!); and, even more importantly, I believe that we will increase our attendances for longer if we play at the next level rather than have just fading memories of winning this cup. If it wasn't for the yellow card factor I would be more vehement. These are my opinions.

Lots of good points, and Steve you are right about the raising of expectations at the start of the season. I'd forgotten about that.
I guess it might seem a bit pointless bristoldome, and while the play offs would be good, I don't want to bankrupt the club further by getting promoted. Getting into the conference now would do us much more harm than good in our present circumstances.

As i said i dont necessarily disagree with him but to have the manager confirm it publically may also do damage in terms of maximising gate receipts for the remainder of the season at a time when we are desperate for money. Why not just say we always try to win regardless of the competition or say nothing at all.

The key to this is to ensure the club maintains momentum on the back of the publicity from the Trophy run. If that means continuing to be competitive and pushing for the play offs so be it. City can sometimes be criticised for not maximising on a potentially lucrative situation. Use everything in its armor to firstly get media coverage, interviews, TV, radio, press, social media. Attract those extra fans then keep them or at least a % of them. 59 new converted fans over the course of a season is a lot of money in the coffers.

Say nothing at all in these media hungry times? For me he has been refreshingly honest and there is precious little of this in our media managed age. We have too small a squad to fight on multiple fronts. So far his squad management has been perfectly judged and if this doesn't work out in the next two weeks it would still have been the right approach.

I did think it was rather a strange comment to make even if it is the reality of the situation, and to some extent is at odds with what Adie Britton said after the Dover replay. While I think we all agree that City getting to Wembley has to be the priority, and possibly sacrificing some or all of the points against Farnborough tomorrow is a price worth paying, the reality is that if we don't get past North Ferriby we will have 12 league games left. Are we really going to go into them not trying to win in case we make the play-offs ? I would think that a run of good results up to the end of the season would be great momentum to keep the supporters attracted by the FA Trophy run on board for next season

In that case as i said earlier just say that we always try to win every match regardless of the competition. Once again i have to reiterate that i dont necessarily disagree with him but in my opinion there is no need to make it his public position. It will only serve to keep floating support away if we are knocked out and they see that he isnt bothered about the league. I am fully behind the lads attempt to get to wembley but if we dont make it what else is there to attract floating supporters?

The thing is that what Howells says is fairly obviously true but managers tend not to say it - not least because it gives the players an excuse to take their foot off the pedal for the league games. Additionally, what impetus is there for fairweather supporters to turn up when the Trophy is out of the way with a couple of months of the season to go.

Also, win our three games in hand and we are 3 points off Whitehawk with only Bromley, Basingstoke, Hemel Hempstead and Concord with anywhere near the same amount of games in hand. I know that it is pie in the sky to look at it mathematically but our form is pretty good especially away.

The way I read what he says is the club as a whole is not in a position to compete in the Conference Premier, not that the current team is not capable of reaching then winning the play-offs.

Regardless of what happens in the next two weeks I don't see this group of players not trying their hardest in the remaining league games. Of course, the minimal size of our first team squad means that the fixture backlog we are going to face is probably going to come into play sooner rather than later but I don't think anyone's committment to winning games should come into question.

I'd agree with him in the first instance, Yuffie. Actual promotion to and competing in the Conference would be a step too far for the club presently. As I say, I think that realistically we all know that. However, a run in the play-offs and, perhaps, reaching the final would be a welcome bonus for the club, not least financially.

I am not pointing the finger specifically at our team or individuals, I just think that any player would find it hard, once something like the Trophy is over for the rest of the season, to raise the same level of impetus as if you were challenging for the play-offs, promotion or even relegation. This is even before the manager has effectively made such thoughts explicit.

We are in a position and with a team where relegation shouldn't even be a consideration which leaves us the Trophy and then the slim possibility of the play-offs. Obviously, while the Tuesday games have to be played by youth and squad players mainly while the Trophy is ongoing (which can bring benefits in itself with regards blooding these players), the season should be kept as competitive as possible to the end. Not least, as there has been a huge amount of interest from fairweather supporters and good football and results after the Trophy would keep some of them coming. We haven't had a really disappointing attendance since the Gloucester City home game but any idea that the league, especially historically badly-attended Tuesday games, are now a write-off is not a great message to send.

I personally think the second our trophy run ends, whether that be 11 days time or end of March, we will go back to fielding our strongest line-up for each game. If that's good enough to get us to the play-offs - great. If it's not, well, we gave it a go* and we faced an uphill battle from our rubbish start to be honest. Fortunately we don't have a league game next Tuesday, which is one saving grace of the SPC, where I expect the entire Academy side/some Development Squad players to play.

If we make it to the final I'm sure we'll pick a side which can compete in intervening league games, with only those carrying minor knocks/close to a suspension being left out. I don't think we'll end up playing a team similar to the Whitehawk game every week.

* there's a slight part of me that isn't worried if we don't make the play-offs as I'll be in Australia when they take place

I am not sure that just having the players (which we possibly do) is enough, part of a manager's job is instil the right mental and, dare I say it, emotional state into the players so that they are up for every game. Hence, 'mind games' being such a heavily used term in football management. A good manager makes a team more than the sum of their parts mentally, emotionally and temperamentally as much as he does physically and tactically.

We see all the time that it isn't just about having good enough players. I am afraid that, while some of our players will sweat blood whatever, other just may not whether it be consciously or subconsciously. One of the accidental - unless the management are more genii than I realises - benefits of Stearngate is that he will probably try and impress in every single game he is playing. Similarly, Pratt, Watkins etc you will always be able to rely on. Others, not mentioning any names, may need more pushing and Lee's comments don't help.

As the thread title states, the remarks are no disaster - we are unlikely to get relegated - but they are disappointing.

Just a few throw away remarks in another needless interview to satisfy the Chronicle. Surprised no one has picked up on something else which was said, which proves my point that managers shouldn't go anywhere near microphones after matches.

I haven't listened to the interview as I am not sure that Adie is the greatest communicator, let alone Lee.