Am I the only person still thinking Felix should be given a few more games?

[andyk]

Is it the case that Magath picks his team, at least in part, based on performances in training sessions. In essence, that is not a bad policy as it empncourages everyone in the squad to give it everything, every day. Once players get used to this "revolutionary" idea, that you have to work hard, every minute of every day to earn your great big fat salary and to earn a place in the starting line up things will improve. Alternatively, Magath may be as mad as the proverbial milliner, in which case we are toast!

[Arthur]

I share your view, Burt.

A lot is being made to the changes in personnel, but the fact is that six players (Joronen, Hoogland, Stafylidis, Bodurov, Burgess and Parker) have played every minute of all three games. Add McCormack (who is clearly a first-choice pick if fit) to this group and Magath does appear to be forming the nucleus of his 'best' XI.

In my mind, the first crucial question is: Are the players that Magath has relied upon most of all the best we have?

Is Hoogland better than Voser? Is Stafylidis better than Kavanagh? Will Burgess be better over the course of the season than either Hutchinson or Burn?

This is, of course, highly subjective and, when results are poor, whatever the manager does, it will be open to criticism.

The second crucial question is: How good a team do we have compared to other clubs in this league?

If Magath sees that it is not good enough to, at least, challenge for a play-off spot, I would hope that he would endeavour to bring in players who will improve the standard.

It is too early to conclude that he has failed on either count. He may do so; and the early signs are not reassuring. Nevertheless, with only three games played and the transfer/loan window still open, our situation is not irretrievable and, for this reason, I think the Club stands to lose more than it can gain by removing him now.

[David Allen Crankshaw]

I would like to stick with Felix for a few months before anything is decided. We were pretty woeful last night and anybody new would certainly unsettle things again. However the constant team changes are worrying.

[nose]

I agree with you Burt.  I would like Felix to get 2 months before he is sacked if at all.  I tend to want to stay with managers because of the disruption it causes so I could be wrong... haha

Its all fine and dandy to sack Magath, but knowing our board we will pick the wrong guy and be in a position to lose more games.

I like that Felix has played the kids.  If we lose and play kids it is better than the crap we watched last year.

it is not the young players that is at issue. we all seem to agree that is needed and applaud him for that. What is wrong is the chopping and changing every game (he did it last season too) and that the team is hopelessly unbalanced and lightweight and that he let a perfectly decent goalkeeper leabve to replace him with one that isn't filling anybody with much confidence. The signings are very uninspiring... and the two experienced players we lept are not ones i wanted to keep.

He has already made far too many errors for me, better to make a change now but i do agree the board's track record of finding replacements is hopeless... The first action is replace the board, then the manager, all by 1.30pm tomorrow!

[FPT]

He has transformed a squad from a load of 30 plus players with little technique or care, into a squad full of young, exciting players.

It has been from one extreme to the other; and that will naturally take time to settle; we probably could have kept the squad from last year and got promoted, but where's the long term gain?

We did play really well against Ipswich and Millwall, but unfortunately we came away with two losses; against Wolves, we played badly, and lost. I saw enough promise in the first two performances to tell me that this team is a sleeping giant; once it clicks, it could really be quite special. But then last night, we looked poor which has maybe made others forget the quality shown in the earlier two.

Losing three in a row is disappointing, very disappointing, even more so that we probably should have got 4 points from the first two games but the result didn't follow the performances.

I am not quite Felix Magath out, but I am frustrated in the chances being made on a consistent basis. How will players settle, if they're not getting a chance to settle? I do understand the reasoning of how he wants to change the team if it isn't winning games, but there's too much of it. When we finished 7th in 2008-09, it was essentially the same team every week, the only change being Dempsey or Gera from the left; the rest was more of less the same, with Etuhu coming in when Bullard left in January - everybody knew their role; maybe that's partially down to Roy's training ground monotony. We've used 20 players in 3 games, and only 4 have started everyone (including the goalkeeper).

I also don't like his reluctance to sign players in the 24-26 age barrier that has experience in the Championship; it would certainly boost the squad rather than players like Mark Fotheringham. Jack Collison is available on a free; are you to tell me that Jack Collison wouldn't provide more than Fozzy?

There are details that are niggling me, but the whole process has been, in general, satisfying. He should get the opportunity until late September-mid October to get things working - if not, then it's a case of the season being directed the right way and possibly salvaging a play off spot. There are examples of teams starting poorly and going up as title winners, so we have got time to get things settled.

[Robbie]

Face facts - we ain't going back up this season. We have lacked any stability for 2 years. We have a whole new squad. We have lots of players who have never played together.  I THINK HAS 10 GAMES (7 MORE).

[Lighthouse]

Last night made us all wonder if there is any plan to the madness. Change for changes sake. Going backwards in performance and watching talented youngsters just look confused. Bringing on subs while the rest of the team haven't a clue where they are supposed to be playing. In other words all the warnings that were highlighted by Felix Critics turns out to be bang on the money.

I was all for backing him and did so. But we are looking a shambles and what ever message he is trying to put to his players isn't working. Had we played without changing the back 4, brought in the players we have said we need, a dm and a target player, then we would have been cruising this league.

We would still be moaning but really, too many changes every game looks to be breaking everybody's confidence. An awful shame because Fulham supporters have had enough of watching the club be mismanaged. We have the players with the need of two or three additions. Magath seems unable to make a team out of them and worse seems to be breaking them.

[Skatzoffc]

No Burt. I agree.

I was always willing to give him 8-10 games especially as we have a tough start to the season, (teams we  are playing wise).
I fear we will have a knee-jerk reaction and will be back to square one again. That could be disastrous after the clear-out of players so far.

But....

I would like to see an established line-up over the next two games. He's seen everyone play and should know that by now at least.

COYW!

[RaySmith]

Though my confidence in Felix has been shaken, I still think we should give him a chance.

Rember how well we played in the first two games - and most of us were still positive despite the defeats.

Now we see Felix as making too many unnecessary changes, but I think this will settle down as he comes to realise his best eleven, which he obviously doesn't know at the moment.

We should credit Felix  with bringing the  through the youngsters in the first place, and appreciate that this is a learning curve for everyone involved, and that this is a very tough division in which to play with a completely inexperienced young side - but let's give Felix more time to turn things around.

The potential is there with our young players, so lets hope it comes good. A new manager would  mean more upheaval, and likely see the experiment in youth at the club abandoned in terms of actually  having them play in the first team - for which Felix should be applauded.....and given, at least a few, more games to make it work.

[nose]

this is a re run of of the jol arguments... he should have gone much earlier and so many people said, 'give him a bit more time'.... well sometimes when thingsbecome as obvious as the nose on your face it is time to act and that is now.... the inscent changes are enough to prove magath is wrong and if he stays for up to q0 ganmes then it prevents a new man from having sufficient time, because if we get to 10 games then it will be.... let him have the january window....   mgath is like jol, the wrong person for the job, we don't just need a younger team we need a younger manager.

[supersimmo123]

Completely agree Nose, he has been since the start. Sean Davis said as much and he has seen what goes on inside the club. Change is needed and for me the quicker the better.

[Berserker]

I think I still haven't got over going to game after game and seeing us lose. I think it has worn me down. My brain can't get into the sensible thought that it is just 3  games we have lost in a new season, it is thinking oh no we are still on the treadmill of losing, losing, losing.

[Twig]

 :plus one:

My anger doesn't just stem from this year.  It goes all the way to last year when players like Holtby and Burn were played out of position and the team lineups were just as strange then.  I never wanted this guy in the first place. His comments he makes are utterly stupid.  "I only play players who are fit." Really then why is McCormack playing? The guy is just a walking contradiction with everything he says.  It's really annoying.

:plus one:

[Twig]

The short answer the original question is that you are in a rapidly shrinking minority. In my opinion of hopeless optimists (or naive suckers which I doubt).

[crazycottager]

The short answer the original question is that you are in a rapidly shrinking minority. In my opinion of hopeless optimists (or naive suckers which I doubt).

an an optimist has just switched, because A] we can't beat a league one promoted side, and B] the WORST team selection i have ever seen, and C] if he stays this is exactly what we did with Jol, minus the youth. i can't sit back, he needs to leave NOW

[grandad]

More to the point is if Mackintosh fails to strengthen the side with players up for a fight , how long after the window should he be kept on. He alone has been the catylist of our failures over the last 3 years.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Yes, you are, apart from Magaths wife, and even she was booing him last night.

[Jonaldiniho 88]

He needs more games yes. I think the question is how many

[SG]

The trouble we have is that we do not know what directives he has been given from above. If it is to get rid of highly paid (overpaid) players and those who have a transfer value and then replace them with a series of mostly free transfers and promising youngsters then in truth that is what he has done but it means his hands are tied.
Given the lack of notable transfers in compared to what has been let go/transferred I think our frustrations and questioning should be directed to people above him - Khan and Mac. It seems to me that they are setting the parameters within which we are now operating and those parameters are set to ensure that we do nothing but tread water or I fear worse.
It seems to me that Felix is operating with both hands tied behind his back. Whether he is up to this challenge is another debate. Based on Wednesday night I fear he is not where it was really men against boys.

[epsomraver]

I agree with you Burt.  I would like Felix to get 2 months before he is sacked if at all.  I tend to want to stay with managers because of the disruption it causes so I could be wrong... haha

Its all fine and dandy to sack Magath, but knowing our board we will pick the wrong guy and be in a position to lose more games.

I like that Felix has played the kids.  If we lose and play kids it is better than the crap we watched last year.

Really? must let us know what stream you watch, and how it is differs  from being there and I am  still watching crap