Still can't believe Kit said this

[mikestrand]

After watching the team last season is it really such a shock.

[Tonywa]

It really defies description. Clueless doesn't begin to cover it. It's so sad when we now actually have a pretty good set of players that we are let down by desperately poor management. As has been said, with a basically new back four one can imagine Roy having them out on the training field for hours on end practising the basics until they were sick to death of it and got used to one another.  Oh dear they might find it boring.  Funny I thought working was what they are paid for, not to have a good time for a couple of hours and then sod off home. Incredible.

[west kowloon white]

"Maybe" an incredible comment.
Does he not see what Pullis does in training?Am losing faith- a strong personality needed to MANAGE.

[FulhamStu]

Have just watched it again and again.  1st goal, main issue is Richards does not attack the ball in any way, is on the floor when the other guy jumps who is 2 foot above him (by the way the forward is 5 foot 7 inches).   The second goal, Dembele totally switches off, losses Lees on the run and is no where when the header is made.  3rd goal Burn gets clearly pushed out the flight of the ball by the Weds no9, however Ream loses his man behind him (Turner) who has an unchallenged header at goal.  Longeran could have come for all 3 and certainly the first 2.

The frustrating thing is that apart handling crosses the defenders did well.   Ream is excellent on the ball and Stearman is strong and again a good footballer.  With more experienced players around him Burn did well.  So if we had spent days and days on attacking and winning defensive headers, not allowing players to get ahead of you and/or getting a jump on you, we would have won Saturday.  Wednesday are nothing special and we were the better team.  We will however win bugger all if we can't defend crosses and this has been the problem for the past year, not the past few weeks !!   Its classic coaching issues that are not being addressed.  The buck stops with Kit end of.   How much longer are we going to give him ?

[colinwhite]

Thing is Stu there are other issues too . If you are dembelle you don't need to follow your man so far out away from the goal . All he has to do is drop his shoulder and you are off in the wrong direction. Basics .
They formed a simple 3 man cluster and we bought it with them screening markers in the process. Most teams are much more physical and use arms to stop  runners and screeners.
And then there is the question of how we can face corners without any zonal markers in front of the keeper , and a keeper who wants to stay on the line .

[Wearethewhites]

Once again, we can continue to go over all this until we are blue in the face, but it won't change until the Club decides to make the change. For whatever reasons, they seem to be happy with Kit trundling along and learning his trade, rather than investing in someone who will gain us promotion to the Premiership. With Kit in charge, regardless of how good the team is, we're mid-table at best, and will plunder through seasons witnessing these mistakes time after time. Sorry, but that's just how it is.   

[EJL]

What's funny is the club spent the whole summer reiterating this slogan of finding "the right player" for Fulham when it came to transfers. So does that mean we now have a squad full of players unwilling to nail down match day basics because it's too "boring"? He just comes across as a complete idiot after talking up the team spirit and commitment of the players for months.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

If a team lets in three goals from set pieces in one game then they must expect to put in hours practicing defending in those situations until they can show that that they no longer make those mistakes in matches.

Firstly the players should want to do it if they have any ambition about challenging for promotion. Secondly, as others are saying, it should not even cross the manager's mind that there should be any question of the players not liking it until they stop regularly letting in soft goals of that type.

[rubbernecca]

Have just watched it again and again.  1st goal, main issue is Richards does not attack the ball in any way, is on the floor when the other guy jumps who is 2 foot above him (by the way the forward is 5 foot 7 inches).   The second goal, Dembele totally switches off, losses Lees on the run and is no where when the header is made.  3rd goal Burn gets clearly pushed out the flight of the ball by the Weds no9, however Ream loses his man behind him (Turner) who has an unchallenged header at goal.  Longeran could have come for all 3 and certainly the first 2.

The frustrating thing is that apart handling crosses the defenders did well.   Ream is excellent on the ball and Stearman is strong and again a good footballer.  With more experienced players around him Burn did well.  So if we had spent days and days on attacking and winning defensive headers, not allowing players to get ahead of you and/or getting a jump on you, we would have won Saturday.  Wednesday are nothing special and we were the better team.  We will however win bugger all if we can't defend crosses and this has been the problem for the past year, not the past few weeks !!   Its classic coaching issues that are not being addressed.  The buck stops with Kit end of.   How much longer are we going to give him ?

Thanks for pointing this out Stu and I hope people at FFC are reading it.  It precisely identifies the cause our troubles: Kit's coaching (or lack of it). New signings simply can't make up for rubbish management. 

This just makes me angrier and angrier thinking about it. This idiot is wasting everyone's time! KIT OUT!

[rubbernecca]

Well after absorbing the wise words of the current Manager, my immediate thought was to post a comment and relay my immediate thoughts.
Instead I took a deep breath and counted to 10,000. Then I went to my Gym and carried out my usual routine of chest and arm muscle groups which I tend to do on a Tuesday, to expend what access energy and strength I have these days, as at my age, I am not the man I was, but my heart makes me do it, even though my wife tells me I am a silly old fool and will give myself a cardiac arrest.
I showered and came back home, and read and listened to the article again.
Unfortunately I was still seething, I hadn't calmed down one iota, I felt like I could pull Oak trees out by their roots, I was that angry.
So all I want to say is to all the self righteous bleeding hearts and woolly headed supporters who have blindly defended the manager, have made themselves look as foolish as he has.
If you had any thought that this man could manage our club successfully, surely this was the final straw that broke the camels back.
He has embarrassed himself as well as his supporters.
Incompetence, inefficient, negligent, irresponsible, unqualified, are just a few adjectives to describe him.
This mans management technique and Sports psychology has torn up all previous manuals, and sent them into orbit. Surely He has just written his own resignation letter without realising it.
Also before you ask, despite all attempts, no I haven't calmed down, my wife has ordered me to go to the allotment, as she is fed up with me having a go at the spead ball hung up in my garage, so before I go to work tonight, I shall abscond to the garden shed and carry out 100 hundred press ups.
At my age, I thought I had heard it all, but after the latest pantomime by this manager, I have now.

+1

Thanks for the perspective Woolly - I thought I was getting too worked up for a middle aged man!

[Holders]

Perhaps what Kit lacks among his coaching staff is someone to drill the team in defensive techniques, someone who's been a defender (say a centre back) with a team that's been promoted from the Championship to the PL under a well-known and highly respected manager, even a foreign one. Someone who's perhaps been an international defender himself, even for a smaller nation, and perhaps has some experience assisting the manager of an international side.

Can anyone think of such a person who could lend Kit the experience and knowledge he evidently lacks?

[Wearethewhites]

The 47 man pass that led to United's 3rd goal against Southampton this weekend, was down to hours of training installed by Van Gaal, and his tactics. He, as a manager, is renown for long training periods, but it brings success. I bet he, his players aren't bored by it.

[rubbernecca]

Perhaps what Kit lacks among his coaching staff is someone to drill the team in defensive techniques, someone who's been a defender (say a centre back) with a team that's been promoted from the Championship to the PL under a well-known and highly respected manager, even a foreign one. Someone who's perhaps been an international defender himself, even for a smaller nation, and perhaps has some experience assisting the manager of an international side.

Can anyone think of such a person who could lend Kit the experience and knowledge he evidently lacks?

Why not just replace Kit? This goes way beyond defensive tactics - it shows that Kit isn't able to manage effectively.  He's afraid he might make the team bored or offend them with hard work.  He's obviously not a leader.  Woolly is right - have you ever heard anything as ludicrous as this coming out of a manager's mouth?!

[Holders]

Perhaps what Kit lacks among his coaching staff is someone to drill the team in defensive techniques, someone who's been a defender (say a centre back) with a team that's been promoted from the Championship to the PL under a well-known and highly respected manager, even a foreign one. Someone who's perhaps been an international defender himself, even for a smaller nation, and perhaps has some experience assisting the manager of an international side.

Can anyone think of such a person who could lend Kit the experience and knowledge he evidently lacks?

Why not just replace Kit? This goes way beyond defensive tactics - it shows that Kit isn't able to manage effectively.  He's afraid he might make the team bored or offend them with hard work.  He's obviously not a leader.  Woolly is right - have you ever heard anything as ludicrous as this coming out of a manager's mouth?!

I think you missed the irony in my description of Mr Symons himself.

[nose]

Yes I agree, I posted the same thing over 24 hours before this post but people must have missed it.... the manager's comments were unbelievable.

I heard it first n the BBC web site after match comments... I posted immediately. I was surprised not to get any feedback at all because it was such a strange thing for him to have said, and I am pleased that this thread has been picked up by everyone else now.

I was also grateful that like me, somebody else has remembered that roy drilled the players endlessly....
They didn't like it but it paid dividends... the old gary player, the more I practice, the luckier I get syndrome!

I think our senior management need to have a long look at the manager's methods and a hard look at themselves too for allowing second rate techniques.

[Holders]

The 47 man pass that led to United's 3rd goal against Southampton this weekend, was down to hours of training installed by Van Gaal, and his tactics. He, as a manager, is renown for long training periods, but it brings success. I bet he, his players aren't bored by it.

His players are allegedly bored, as were Roy's said to be at Liverpool but that's just tough. If a team is constantly letting in goals from set pieces then for chr1st's sake drill the overpaid spoilt lazy b*ggers until they stop it.

I'm sure Tigana drilled his side in passing when Fulham could emulate the sort of thing that Utd have just done.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I think we all know what he meant when he said it. Not that they don't train for this but that spending the entire training session doing it is boring but they may have to sacrifice other things for this. After all the reason we defended so poorly for the goals was mainly down to the full backs and Dembele not picking up players or running with the players they were supposed to mark.

Symons no doubt will be gone soon enough and then we can all complain about the new manager.

or the new manager will know what he is doing and we won't have anything to complain about

it's amazing how many, coming into this job, have the right experience to get the most out of youth, have the remarkable CV for a club like ours, etc on the way in the door and know so little about how football should be played on the way out.

[rubbernecca]

Perhaps what Kit lacks among his coaching staff is someone to drill the team in defensive techniques, someone who's been a defender (say a centre back) with a team that's been promoted from the Championship to the PL under a well-known and highly respected manager, even a foreign one. Someone who's perhaps been an international defender himself, even for a smaller nation, and perhaps has some experience assisting the manager of an international side.

Can anyone think of such a person who could lend Kit the experience and knowledge he evidently lacks?

Why not just replace Kit? This goes way beyond defensive tactics - it shows that Kit isn't able to manage effectively.  He's afraid he might make the team bored or offend them with hard work.  He's obviously not a leader.  Woolly is right - have you ever heard anything as ludicrous as this coming out of a manager's mouth?!

I think you missed the irony in my description of Mr Symons himself.

Sorry Holders - I've lost it. Very funny post on the re-read. 

[love4ffc]

He also said after the abject display second half against Blackburn that " the players cannot keep up that performance for 90 minutes" really? you need to look at the fitness coaching and also perhaps the correct use of Subs

Agree.  These are highly paid professionals and she absolutely be able to go 90 minutes.  If they that unfit and unable to go 90 minutes then perhaps they need a reduction in pay? 

Roy did it - and got rid of those that didn't like it, i.e. Jimmy Bullard and brought in those with top professionalism and work rate, i.e. Damien Duff. Roy's team didn't have anybody not willing to put in 200% percent for the team.

Louis Van Gaal is another that puts in hours working on 11v11s and adjusting minute details in game. You've got to build a motor memory in your players in that it's natural for them to do what you want them to. That comes with repetition and correcting when wrong. These quotes from Kit (who I have been known to support) makes me feel he'll forever live in the Zola box of being too nice to succeed. He messes up here, where is he going to go? He got the job internally and kept it through connection to the club, I don't think he'll get another if he fails - so if anything, he's got to think about himself and the club.

If repetitive defending drills need to be done, then do them. If players don't like it, then that may be part of the problem. Once the defending is to a tee, then relax on it - that makes sense. Why be relaxed on defending drills when it's been the constant in our downfall. 

Again, complete agree.  There is no reason not to have long training sessions that are focused on defense.  Kit should be saying "We'll be here all day and night, until we get it right". 

As I said in my other thread,
http://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?topic=49995.0

There are several things that Kit should be doing Repetitive drilling for.   
•   Defense – not just the back four but the midfield also as they should be dropping in and plugging holes preventing unmarked men from running into the box
•   Transition – from defense to attacking and back to defense.  To slow with no sense of urgency or purpose. 
•   Movement – both on and off the ball.  Players need to offer better support for the play at hand. 
•   Staying strong – it's the Championship, expect that you are going to get knocked of the ball the second you get it.  Toughen up for Pete's sake. 

[OdecaMynoT]

Well after absorbing the wise words of the current Manager, my immediate thought was to post a comment and relay my immediate thoughts.
Instead I took a deep breath and counted to 10,000. Then I went to my Gym and carried out my usual routine of chest and arm muscle groups which I tend to do on a Tuesday, to expend what access energy and strength I have these days, as at my age, I am not the man I was, but my heart makes me do it, even though my wife tells me I am a silly old fool and will give myself a cardiac arrest.
I showered and came back home, and read and listened to the article again.
Unfortunately I was still seething, I hadn't calmed down one iota, I felt like I could pull Oak trees out by their roots, I was that angry.
So all I want to say is to all the self righteous bleeding hearts and woolly headed supporters who have blindly defended the manager, have made themselves look as foolish as he has.
If you had any thought that this man could manage our club successfully, surely this was the final straw that broke the camels back.
He has embarrassed himself as well as his supporters.
Incompetence, inefficient, negligent, irresponsible, unqualified, are just a few adjectives to describe him.
This mans management technique and Sports psychology has torn up all previous manuals, and sent them into orbit. Surely He has just written his own resignation letter without realising it.
Also before you ask, despite all attempts, no I haven't calmed down, my wife has ordered me to go to the allotment, as she is fed up with me having a go at the spead ball hung up in my garage, so before I go to work tonight, I shall abscond to the garden shed and carry out 100 hundred press ups.
At my age, I thought I had heard it all, but after the latest pantomime by this manager, I have now.

+1

Thanks for the perspective Woolly - I thought I was getting too worked up for a middle aged man!

Amazed you didn't include the blow-up doll.