Sam Down

This I’d absolutely go with

I agree we wrote both of those two off too fast but there’s a reason Charlton are playing Gillesphey and loaning Mitchell out and I think it’s to do with use of the ball

Controversially I don’t think even Mitchell falls into that. Don’t forget he didn’t start much for Charlton last season.

He’s good I agree but doesn’t start for every side. Needs to be a bit better with the ball.

But agree with the gist of what you’re saying

My waffly ‘too long for a post’ thoughts on the recent #pafc uptick

Better performance than some in isolation but we still created next to nothing second half. First batch of subs actually made us worse.

The sad thing is today isn’t even a shock anymore.

The even sadder thing is the head coach will have walked out of that ground knowing he’s at zero risk of losing his job.

Walking eyes wide open into League Two. #pafc

I still think it’ll age terribly because I think the decision not to sack him will age terribly.

But, as mentioned after the fan forum, the honesty and accountability in this compared to previous statements is refreshing.

Good that they’ve admitted to mistakes.

It will take me a lot of convincing that the decision to stick with TC is anything other than madness but in that context this is about as good a statement as SH could have put out.

Makes a decent stab at defending the decision and much improved transparency.

There was more genuine honesty shown in that forum than probably most of the others. Not just ‘technically true but worded carefully’ honesty but real honesty. Simon very nearly said sacking Cleverley is too expensive and I think he was largely giving an open assessment of how bad things are, maybe even too honest at times. It can’t have been nice for the players to hear- but some credit to the three of them, it can’t be said that they shied away from telling the ugly truth. But the fact that they genuinely think, despite admitting to having got so much wrong in the past, that they genuinely think Tom Cleverley is the right man is enough to make me lose any last shred of faith I had in their decision making or leadership. I accept it isn’t as simple as ‘just sell up’ because he needs to at the very minimum find someone to cover the black hole in our finances. And it goes without saying I hope I’m wrong and they’re sat smugly in three months. But any last hope I had that it’s the right leadership group to get us out of this hole, has vanished. Probably permanently.

Considered thoughts on tonight’s car crash viewing #pafc

Even if we can move away from the perceived or otherwise arrogance, the simple quality of awful decision making has in my view now reached the point where it isn’t sustainable to continue the way things are

… it will allow him to maintain what is left of his legacy and has just enough credit that the fans will be reasonably patient to allow him to sell the club on terms that are fair and not to a Chansiri esque cowboy

And sadly I think now it almost certainly has to consist of.

✅ Hallett publicly stating he wants to seek a buyer, as opposed to an investor. Too much has gone wrong to rebuild his relationship with the fans, in my view.

By making this change of intentions clear, I think…

Any route map out of this has to consist of the following.

✅ Change of head coach with a prioritisation of experience over potential.

✅ New serious high level sporting director hired to work above or instead of Fox and lead recruitment campaign.

I don’t actually know what to make of it at this point.

They’ve done what I thought was impossible and just made me numb rather than angry.

Find it very sad how we’ve totally undone 4+ years of good work in the space of less than 2 years. #pafc

Yes because today it was aimed at the players every bit as much as the manager

Without a doubt the most toxic away end I’ve been in - we are completely and utterly screwed. What an unimaginable mess we are in. #pafc

The spell from minutes 65-80 say to me.

If there is any hope of a TC redemption ark and I don’t think there is. We play Law McCabe every game, all game.

It’s ridiculous how much better we are when he’s on the field and mad our manager can’t see it.

Think that probably has to be that for TC, sadly. Nice guy. Works hard. Not a head coach.

This squad isn’t great but it’s far better than the rubbish we are churning out. It isn’t getting remotely better.

Group therapy session is ongoing #pafc

The closest thing we have to Randell as flawed but technical who would try risky pass forwards is McCabe.

TC in his wisdom decided he didn’t need to be in the squad.

I saw someone say it was Muslic set up with Rooney competency. Very true

Slept on it and whilst I’m not officially Cleverley out (he gets at least Tuesday)I’m now very much at the stage where I’m 90% convinced it ends badly.

You don’t come back from setting up as terribly as that for a derby. #pafc

I think we all just assumed he did a good job cause they’re a shitshow but I’m questioning that now. Not like they’re doing badly this season.

I actually wonder if all of us have fallen into the ‘good job in difficult circumstances’ trap with TC.

It’s tough to judge how he did at Watford.

There’s not actually much evidence at all that he’s any good.

The post match comments also worry me hugely. They suggest a ‘back to basics’ approach that’s ultra defensive.

I mean, fine, we need to improve defensively but we’ve also created very little offensively in the last two games.

Going too defensive tonight is what invited Exeter onto us.

The issue is we’ve tried 4-3-3, 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 and all of them have been woefully found out.

I don’t know what conclusion is left other the that the head coach isn’t very good at coaching.

Fair play by the way, they’ve managed to surpass my very fucking low expectations.

After Burton, I had convinced myself that I was being hysterical and we weren’t in a relegation battle after all.

I should have stuck to my guns. We very much are.

Make them walk home #pafc

Ridiculously nervous and I generally don’t even care much for the rivalry. People can’t really enjoy these games can they?

Btw curtains won’t be able to play v parent club