Clive Platt: Thorn is the Man/Player Sales not helping City (1 Viewer)

[The CableGuy]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/7472872/


Coventry striker Clive Platt insists that manager Andy Thorn is the right man to keep the club in the Championship if given the chance to do so.

The Sky Blues have struggled this season following the summer exit of key players such as Kieren Westwood (Sunderland), Ben Turner and Aron Gunnarsson (both Cardiff).

They are currently anchored to the foot of the table, six points adrift of safety, but the experienced target man told Sky Sports that Thorn still has the support of the clubs players, fans and directors.

"There has been no indications of the manager coming under pressure internally at the club, so he is being given the opportunity to salvage the season and everyone is confident of doing so.

"Most of the concerns and shouts from the fans have been aimed at the owners at the club really because the fans believe that there is no money coming in and subsequently no new signings either.

"The sale of other players and stuff doesn't seem to be filtering back into the team, which is frustrating because we've had no new faces this year despite some of the lads from last season moving elsewhere.

"It has put a hell of a lot pressure on the young lads' shoulders because they are coming through and have been expected to perform on a regular basis.

"They've done really well though, but hopefully the manager can get some funds to work with and strengthen the squad ahead of a tough second-half of the season."

Results have improved at the Ricoh Arena in recent weeks, with victories over Bristol City, Brighton and Middlesbrough, which Platt reveals has done wonders for morale.

"Obviously, you aren't going to be playing your best football and playing with freedom when you look at the league table and find yourselves getting beat most weeks, but we've done well recently.

"Confidence has started to build a little bit with those performances, but it certainly has been dented with the first-half to season we've had here."

 

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[Otis]

Ever heard a player come out and not back the manager?

Hardly ever happens. Of course he is going to back Thorn.

 

[torchomatic]

Yeah, and anyway a few blokes on a message board are going to know more than the players who actually play for him, aren't they?

 

[Grendel]

Yeah, and anyway a few blokes on a message board are going to know more than the players who actually play for him, aren't they?

Wow clive platt says thorn is a great manager. Name 1 player at Coventry who publicly slated boothroyd, coleman or dowie. Can't think of one.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Yeah, and anyway a few blokes on a message board are going to know more than the players who actually play for him, aren't they?

You don't need to know more or less than the players - you only need to look at the facts.

1. CCFC has been in the bottom three since October 29th
2. CCFC has been bottom of the table since December 3rd
3. Currently 8 points from safety including goal difference - nearly three full wins behind for a team that has won five all season.

That's not a little run that is within some kinda margin of error; that's 28 league games, or 61% of the season. All under Thorn's watch.

Oh yes, Thorny's the man to get us out of this mess!

 

[BurbageSkyBlues]

Colonel, who do you recommend?

(realistically, affordable and willing to come)

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Colonel, who do you recommend? (realistically, affordable and willing to come)

Gregor Rioch (on the payroll, success with the academy, has personal relations with and managed much of the squad). Lee Carsley, for some of the same reasons.

Failing that, hold a lottery of anyone who applies and pick a winner out of a hat. At the very, very least we should be trying something new. There's nothing to lose at this point.

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

Wow clive platt says thorn is a great manager. Name 1 player at Coventry who publicly slated boothroyd, coleman or dowie. Can't think of one.

Can't recall quite so many come out and blame the board for lack of investment though. It seems like they're all speaking on Thorn's behalf at the moment.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Gregor Rioch (on the payroll, success with the academy, has personal relations with and managed much of the squad). Lee Carsley, for some of the same reasons.

Failing that, hold a lottery of anyone who applies and pick a winner out of a hat. At the very, very least we should be trying something new. There's nothing to lose at this point.

Carsley is also a rookie who is better off making mistakes with the U18s than the senior side, and Rioch would be in a similar situation. The thing about football is-your situation can always get better-and it can always get worse; if we go down, I'd rather it be with a fight to go into League One with some optimism, than just being simply the whipping boys of the Championship.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

We're already the whipping boys of the Championship. We've been bottom of the table for two months. Any team playing at home is thinking "there's three points".

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

It can always get worse; if we go down, I'd rather it be with a fight to go into League One with some optimism, than just being simply the whipping boys of the Championship.

True. Funny that those keen to point out that things could get worse under a new takeover never seem to apply the same logic to the manager situation.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

True. Funny that those keen to point out that things could get worse under a new takeover never seem to apply the same logic to the manager situation.

Have you seen our league position?! We're as good as relegated and have been for months. Things cannot get worse. What difference does it make if a new manager doesn't work out? At least the club would have tried to change things...

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Whipping boys suggests we're being thrashed or outplayed every week-we aren't. 14 defeats by a single goal, praise from opposition managers most weeks-if we were losing 3/4-0 week in week out, then yes we'd be whipping boys.

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

Have you seen our league position?! We're as good as relegated and have been for months. Things cannot get worse. What difference does it make if a new manager doesn't work out? At least the club would have tried to change things...

I think it's far more likely that we wouldn't even be competing in the games that we are competing in.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Have you seen our league position?! We're as good as relegated and have been for months. Things cannot get worse. What difference does it make if a new manager doesn't work out? At least the club would have tried to change things...

They said similar things at Plymouth and Luton-and look at where those clubs are now. Both teams were challenging at the top end of our division barely 4-5 years ago-and now look; I'm not saying Thorn's exactly what we need, but when you say things can't get worse, well, they can.

 

[Grendel]

I think it's far more likely that we wouldn't even be competing in the games that we are competing in.

Things can't get any worse! When did anyone win points for artistic merit! Have you looked at the league table recently -- or any time this season? It Doesn't lie!!!

 

[Puck]

We're already the whipping boys of the Championship. . . . . Any team playing at home is thinking "there's three points".

Whipping boys suggests that we get a sound thrashing week in and week out, which is just not the case.
If you seriously think that any team manager that has had us watched is thinking that "there's three points" then you hold those managers in lower esteem than you do Thorn

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I can't believe there's even a debate about this. Have we entered the Twilight Zone?

We are bottom of the table.
We have not won a single away game.
We lose 79% of all away games.
Our average points per game is so bad that only four second-tier teams in the last 20 years have had a lower average.

Exactly which other team in the Championship would other teams rather play?

There is no positive spin to put on this. None.

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

Things can't get any worse! When did anyone win points for artistic merit! Have you looked at the league table recently -- or any time this season? It Doesn't lie!!!

I have. And we'd be far more than 7 points from safety if Thorn hadn't miraculously managed to keep a team spirit.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I can't believe there's even a debate about this. Have we entered the Twilight Zone?

We are bottom of the table.
We have not won a single away game.
We lose 79% of all away games.
Our average points per game is so bad that only four second-tier teams in the last 20 years have had a lower average.

Exactly which other team in the Championship would other teams rather play?

There is no positive spin to put on this. None.

Are Forest and Doncaster *really* much better off? Our GD is 10 goals better off than both teams, and with only one point between us and them, I'd sooner have one of those two sides. All I was really saying was that things can get much worse if they're given the opportunity-don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that our position is in any way enviable.

 

[Grendel]

They said similar things at Plymouth and Luton-and look at where those clubs are now. Both teams were challenging at the top end of our division barely 4-5 years ago-and now look; I'm not saying Thorn's exactly what we need, but when you say things can't get worse, well, they can.

Plymouth? Interesting comparison. Now, who was the manager there until recently - why our old pal Peter Reid. Club was in a terrible financial state so much so Reid was helping himself to keep the club afloat. He admits he struck up quite a friendship with the chairman. Sadly they kept losing so his chairman friend sacked him. Reid excepted his fate -- its a results business he acknowledged and results have now improved.

Results business is a concept lost in Coventry - we are rock bottom so no it can't improve -- time to take a leaf out of Plymouth's book - time for a change.

 

[Grendel]

I have. And we'd be far more than 7 points from safety if Thorn hadn't miraculously managed to keep a team spirit.

What a desperate statement devoid of any factual evidence. If we had an experienced manager we'd be 10 points better off than we are now -- why? Because I said so.

Sorry you'll have to do better than that.

 

[Grendel]

Whipping boys suggests that we get a sound thrashing week in and week out, which is just not the case.
If you seriously think that any team manager that has had us watched is thinking that "there's three points" then you hold those managers in lower esteem than you do Thorn

Every manager who plays us always thinks "there's three points" - because with only a handful of exceptions that's what they get! WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT!

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Are Forest and Doncaster *really* much better off? Our GD is 10 goals better off than both teams, and with only one point between us and them, I'd sooner have one of those two sides.

Doncaster and Forest are two points better off than us; that may not sound like much, but it's a mountain in this context. By our standards those two points are the equivalent of two and a half games, ie we may as well have played 2-3 games more than they have if we're saying our output is similar.

It's also worth mentioning that Forest are having a ridiculously bad run of form. It's a freak phase. There's no way you bet on their descent continuing at the pace it has over the last month. Compare and contrast to CCFC, who have been sitting comfortably at the bottom of the table for two months. And I really don't want to use Doncaster - a team that stinks - as a positive spin on City's season. We're rubbish and everybody knows it.

All I was really saying was that things can get much worse if they're given the opportunity-don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that our position is in any way enviable.

It cannot get worse than relegation. It's like saying "I'd rather take the firing squad for instant death; if I use this escape kit then I might get shot in the back when running for freedom"

 

[Puck]

Every manager who plays us always thinks "there's three points" - because with only a handful of exceptions that's what they get! WHAT ARE YOU ON ABOUT!

Oh my, you really don't seem to rise yourself above vitriol do you?
What I am on about, as you put it, is that I sincerely doubt if any manager that has researched us see us as an easy 3 points.
If you can't see that then you really betray your lack of knowledge.

I'm neither pro nor anti Thorn but do not understand the Thorn Out stance without viable alternatives given our circumstances.

Also, I do believe we have had vastly more experienced managers than Thorn with much better squads that have left us in perilous states at season's end.

By the way, it's accepted not excepted.

 

[Astute]

In the last 6 league games we have scored 7 goals and had 5 scored against us. We have got 9 points. Whipping boys? We just need to change away results.

 

[Otis]

You don't need to know more or less than the players - you only need to look at the facts.

1. CCFC has been in the bottom three since October 29th
2. CCFC has been bottom of the table since December 3rd
3. Currently 8 points from safety including goal difference - nearly three full wins behind for a team that has won five all season.

That's not a little run that is within some kinda margin of error; that's 28 league games, or 61% of the season. All under Thorn's watch.

Oh yes, Thorny's the man to get us out of this mess!

1. CCFC has been in the bottom three since October 29th
2. CCFC has been bottom of the table since December 3rd
3. Currently 8 points from safety including goal difference - nearly three full wins behind for a team that has won five all season.
4. We are the only team in England yet to win away.
5. We have only scored 7 goals in the 14 away games we have played.

So, despite what any manager says in the media about it being a tough game against us, they must all be fancying 3 points. In that respect, though not quite 'whipping boys,' certainly the boys most likely to get beat. We only score 1 away goal per 2 matches and keep losing. How can opposition manager be thinking of anything else other than a win when they play us?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Doncaster and Forest are two points better off than us; that may not sound like much, but it's a mountain in this context. By our standards those two points are the equivalent of two and a half games, ie we may as well have played 2-3 games more than they have if we're saying our output is similar.

It's also worth mentioning that Forest are having a ridiculously bad run of form. It's a freak phase. There's no way you bet on their descent continuing at the pace it has over the last month. Compare and contrast to CCFC, who have been sitting comfortably at the bottom of the table for two months. And I really don't want to use Doncaster - a team that stinks - as a positive spin on City's season. We're rubbish and everybody knows it.



It cannot get worse than relegation. It's like saying "I'd rather take the firing squad for instant death; if I use this escape kit then I might get shot in the back when running for freedom"

What's worse than relegation you ask? Consecutive relegations perhaps-which is why I use Plymouth and Luton as examples. To say that Plymouth are better off without Reid-they're still in the bottom 2 are they not? Whoever comes in has bugger all to work with, and won't be able to wave the magic wand that people seem to think will arrive with Thorn sacked and a mystery man replacement.
Forest have been in 'bad form' since the start of the season. When does 'bad form' start to become reflective of a 'bad team'? Obviously, 25+ games isn't enough...

 

[Lloyd]

A General is only as good as the troops he leads.

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

Edit: double post due to shitty phone signal!

 

[SydneySkyBlue]

What's worse than relegation you ask? Consecutive relegations perhaps-which is why I use Plymouth and Luton as examples. To say that Plymouth are better off without Reid-they're still in the bottom 2 are they not? Whoever comes in has bugger all to work with, and won't be able to wave the magic wand that people seem to think will arrive with Thorn sacked and a mystery man replacement.
Forest have been in 'bad form' since the start of the season. When does 'bad form' start to become reflective of a 'bad team'? Obviously, 25+ games isn't enough...

Indeed.

Reid at Plymouth is a strange weapon of choice to attack Thorn with too. Another club with no money to spend and forced to sell players that's 'coincidently' also languishing at the bottom of a league table!