GORDON STRACHAN - Friend or Foe? (8 Viewers)

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

Just a question to all City fans that remember this era, at the time of us being relegated I admit I blamed GS for our downfall, soon after, once the reality of it all had hit home and I could see a little more clearly, I came to the conclusion that GS wasn't that bad, if anything I liked him and thought he had been shat on just as much as us by BR, losing Keane and Gary Mc was a big goal gap to fill, and Bellendemy was too green, and the signing of BBJ too late (BR fault) I think of some of the games we played as the entertainers and some of the players that GS brought in - he was passionate for our club too, and quite funny...am I looking back with sky blue tinted specs?

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

I would go for fucker. He had the best squad in our history and relegated us. He was crap, along with his insistence of playing Telfer every match and having Gary FUcking Pendry as his assistant. He was crap.

ccfcway · Aug 23, 2013

I can think of something else I would call him beginning with F

ccfcway · Aug 23, 2013

ha, beat me to it torch

CarpyCov84 · Aug 23, 2013

For me we played the best football I've seen under him with players McAllister,Dublin,Boateng,Whelan etc agree we shouldn't of gone Down especially 2-0 up at half time at Villa...

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

No, we shouldn't have gone down with that squad, so why did we? Doesn't take a genius to work out what a crap manager he was.

CarpyCov84 said:
For me we played the best football I've seen under him with players McAllister,Dublin,Boateng,Whelan etc agree we shouldn't of gone Down especially 2-0 up at half time at Villa...

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

Paul Telfer was underrated in my opinion, he always put a shift in and never stopped running...he was not as flashy as Hadji and Keano, but he was honest and soliod IMO.

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

Honest + solid = not very good at football. I would be honest and run around a lot, doesn't make me any good. Telfer was one of the luckiest players in the history of the league.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
Paul Telfer was underrated in my opinion, he always put a shift in and never stopped running...he was not as flashy as Hadji and Keano, but he was honest and soliod IMO.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

torchomatic said:
No, we shouldn't have gone down with that squad, so why did we? Doesn't take a genius to work out what a crap manager he was.

We would of been relegated anyway, Man U got beat by Derby...so were down even if we had won 5 nil at Vile.

CarpyCov84 · Aug 23, 2013

We should of done better for sure I remember beating the likes of Arsenal 3-2 Boxing Day villa home & away Everton 4-1 Newcastle but always ended up in a relegation battle lol

ccfcway · Aug 23, 2013

I know its slightly off topic, but I still shudder at that team that mcAllister used to put out,

Criag Pead
Barry Quinn
Andy Ducros

etc etc...

Woeful

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

torchomatic said:
Honest + solid = not very good at football. I would be honest and run around a lot, doesn't make me any good. Telfer was one of the luckiest players in the history of the league.

You cant blame relegation on Paul Telfer, can you?

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

I'm not talking about one game against Villa. I'm talking about his whole time as manager. He was dreadful. He had no idea when to change things, insisted on playing the aforementioned Telfer, wasted goodness knows how much money on all those Hondurans and had arguably the best set of players in our history. Like McAllister, a classic example that a good player does not necessarily make a good manager. the 90s were poor for managers.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
We would of been relegated anyway, Man U got beat by Derby...so were down even if we had won 5 nil at Vile.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

CarpyCov84 said:
We should of done better for sure I remember beating the likes of Arsenal 3-2 Boxing Day villa home & away Everton 4-1 Newcastle but always ended up in a relegation battle lol

The end of season relegation battles (that we survived) were as good as winning the league...(for excitement) The Wimbledon game, Liverpool at Anfield, Tottenham 9I could go on)

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

I'm not. I'm just saying he was a crap player who shouldn't have been anywhere near the first team. However, because he was a Strachan favourite - at Soton and Celtic too - he was picked regardless and that shows a lack of managerial nous. You should pick your best team not your mates.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
You cant blame relegation on Paul Telfer, can you?

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

84/85 was the best one.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
The end of season relegation battles (that we survived) were as good as winning the league...(for excitement) The Wimbledon game, Liverpool at Anfield, Tottenham 9I could go on)

spwaverley4916 · Aug 23, 2013

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
You cant blame relegation on Paul Telfer, can you?

i suppose the people that dis liked him will - after all he did go off with a broken leg at Vile park when we were 2 up - it is probably his fault we ended up losing 3-2.!!
I liked Strachan - and he was not the worst manager we've had -left us and got Southampton to a cup final.

Telfer -
http://www.coventryobserver.co.uk/2...er-sad-to-witness-Sky-Blues-plight-67926.html

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

torchomatic said:
I'm not talking about one game against Villa. I'm talking about his whole time as manager. He was dreadful. He had no idea when to change things, insisted on playing the aforementioned Telfer, wasted goodness knows how much money on all those Hondurans and had arguably the best set of players in our history. Like McAllister, a classic example that a good player does not necessarily make a good manager. the 90s were poor for managers.

He was a new young manager, inexperienced at that level - all Managers make bad signings, I don't think "those Hondurans" cost very much, look at the players he signed, you have just stated he had the best set of players this club has had - who signed them?

Your point about G Mac is maybe for another thread - however again a young manager (with personal issues on his mind at that time).

ajsccfc · Aug 23, 2013

I don't mind him really, he made MOTD2 watchable and I don't have enough hate in me to hold a grudge against every crap manager we've had. Even Peter Reid is more a scapegoat for the callous way Black was ditched before him.

Houchens Head · Aug 23, 2013

I've said on other threads in the past and I'll say it again here (and whenever his name crops up!) - Gormless Strachan was a totally useless, waste-of-space, moron of a manager!

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

torchomatic said:
I'm not. I'm just saying he was a crap player who shouldn't have been anywhere near the first team. However, because he was a Strachan favourite - at Soton and Celtic too - he was picked regardless and that shows a lack of managerial nous. You should pick your best team not your mates.

I am sure he never picked him because he was his mate, he obviously saw something in him that he liked - Telfer then has a FA Cup Finalist medal and a couple of SPL Championship medals too, not bad for someone who is a poor player...

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

Yep, young and inexperienced, shouldn't have been given the job in the first place, but he got it because he was...Gordon Strachan. I think you'll find those Hondurans cost quite a bit. at that time our wage bill was 120% of our income.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
He was a new young manager, inexperienced at that level - all Managers make bad signings, I don't think "those Hondurans" cost very much, look at the players he signed, you have just stated he had the best set of players this club has had - who signed them?

Your point about G Mac is maybe for another thread - however again a young manager (with personal issues on his mind at that time).

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

Maybe mate wasn't the right word. Yes, he has a Cup Finalist medal and a SPL Champ medal. I wonder why? Who was his manager when he picked up those medals?

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
I am sure he never picked him because he was his mate, he obviously saw something in him that he liked - Telfer then has a FA Cup Finalist medal and a couple of SPL Championship medals too, not bad for someone who is a poor player...

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

ELEVEN years after leaving the Sky Blues Paul Telfer has spoken his displeasure at seeing the decline of his favourite former club.
The midfielder made 208 appearances during a largely successful six-year spell at Highfield Road despite being part of the Sky Blues side that ended a 34-year stint in the top flight at rivals Aston Villa back in 2001.
The Scot - who followed Gordon Strachan to Southampton the following season - said he disappointed by the club's fortunes since.
“It makes me sad to see the situation they are in,” said Telfer, who is now a coach at Sutton United - the non league side who famously knocked the club out of the FA Cup in 1989.
“City has been in free-fall for three or four years and all it needs is a bit of stability.
“Personally I won two titles at Celtic but with the team we had at Coventry, we should’ve had more success.
“I broke my leg in the game at Villa. I left the pitch and we were 2-0 up so I thought we were going to do it. Then we see Derby beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. Some things you just can’t legislate for.
“Gordon left Coventry because things didn’t go well. But he went to Southampton and got us to the cup final.
“He then went to Celtic and won the title two or three times, so he is obviously a good manager its just that group of players didn’t perform as well as we should have.”
Telfer was part of many memorable Sky Blues sides during the Premier League era.
And he still struggles to understand now how the club always seemed to find themselves in a relegation battle during what he describes as the most enjoyable time of his playing career.
“I probably didn’t appreciate it enough when I was at Coventry. I was playing with a great bunch of lads for a good club ran by good people.
“Me, Rich (Richard Shaw), Darren (Huckerby) and Noel (Whelan) used to go on holidays together. It wasn’t something I did at another club. Noel was the social entertainer in those days.
“At Coventry we had the best strike duo I played with in Dion (Dublin) and Darren.
“When Dion’s head got sweaty and he would climb up and flick it on, he was like a Peter Crouch on steroids. Darren could just run and run, so fast.
In Telfer’s second year at the club it was one which went down to a typical final day escape from relegation with a 2-1 win at Tottenham.
It was a win and relegation escape that Telfer says was because of one player; Steve Ogrizovic.
“He kept us up that day. He made three or four unbelievable saves, off his face, his armpit. We couldn’t believe we had stayed up.”
“The game was delayed 15 or 20 minutes and the other games had finished and Garry (Pendry) was running up and down the touchline getting the message across like a madman. He was shouting ‘keep it like this and we’re staying up’ and we did somehow.
“Every year us as players would pull our boots up late in the season and we would ask ourselves why we didn’t do that sooner.
“It’s something me Richard (Shaw), Paul (Williams) and Noel (Whelan) still talk about it when we see each other. We can’t believe we were fighting relegation on a consistent basis with the players we had.
“We had Gary (McAllister), Dion, Darren then later on Hadji, Chippo, Robbie (Keane) and Boateng came in. But we still can’t believe we didn’t do better than we did and that must be the same for the supporters.”
The former Scotland international said he enjoyed training under Strachan, for whom he also played for at Celtic.
He added: “I loved training. The lads were great and Gordon’s training was lively; loved it.
“One day, I went back in from training and was getting changed and all our gear had gone.
“So we were there without our car keys, everything. This was a Premiership club and someone had come in the back door and took everyone’s gear. But it probably did John (Salako) a favour.
“Gordon was by far the best manager I played for, when he took over from Ron I was with him then until 2008. His work ethic as a player was incredible and he was like that off the pitch.”

Read more: Paul Telfer sad to witness Sky Blues plight | Coventry Observer

Vedere · Aug 23, 2013

I think he had to deal with a difficult chairman/board. However, to have the players he did and not win away from home one season and then get us relegated...not good enough!

He was a funny wee chap mind!

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

torchomatic said:
Maybe mate wasn't the right word. Yes, he has a Cup Finalist medal and a SPL Champ medal. I wonder why? Who was his manager when he picked up those medals?

Now your saying that because GS was his Manager at Soton and Celtic, these are the reasons he won those medals? I think you are being a little disingenuous, he won those medals...by playing his part within a team.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

Vedere said:
I think he had to deal with a difficult chairman/board. However, to have the players he did and not win away from home one season and then get us relegated...not good enough!

He was a funny wee chap mind!

I agree with this point not to win away was a joke, and I hated that season as I was going to most away games then - we did well at home thou...

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Would Telfer have gone to Celtic for example if Strachan hadn't been their manager? I think we both know the answer to that one.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) said:
Now your saying that because GS was his Manager at Soton and Celtic, these are the reasons he won those medals? I think you are being a little disingenuous, he won those medals...by playing his part within a team.

Skybluerevolution (Pt2) · Aug 23, 2013

torchomatic said:
Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Would Telfer have gone to Celtic for example if Strachan hadn't been their manager? I think we both know the answer to that one.

Probably not, but he did and PT won 2 leagues and a Cup with them, trust me players would not put up with inferior players they would be found out and be gone, can you actually name any particular time PT let us down as a team/club? Just for clarity I rated PT as a average but hard working player for us, no more no less, I do find it strange that he gets alot of stick from some of ours fans, when in the games I saw him play in he never stop working or running...

ajsccfc · Aug 23, 2013

Telfer was a limited player but obviously Strachan saw him as a steady hand and must have liked him as a person.

Grendel · Aug 23, 2013

ajsccfc said:
Telfer was a limited player but obviously Strachan saw him as a steady hand and must have liked him as a person.

Yes similar to John McGovern in clough's day. A limited player but viewed as an asset to the squad.

LastGarrison · Aug 23, 2013

I too have made my feelings known on here about Strachan in the past and, in my opinion, he was awful for us.

He was tactically naive, he regularly played players out of position and he always left his substitutions too late. I remember numerous times stood in the West Terrace with loads of people shouting at him to get a fucking sub on.

He had a great squad, the best I have ever seen us have, yet he failed to win away all season, which is truly truly shocking, and then got us relegated.

Plus, he made us a laughing stock with his "witty" interviews.

So for me, foe.

ajsccfc · Aug 23, 2013

Grendel said:
Yes similar to John McGovern in clough's day. A limited player but viewed as an asset to the squad.

I'm almost surprised he hasn't got Telfer as part of his coaching staff by now too.

torchomatic · Aug 23, 2013

I'm surprised Strachan hasn't left his wife and married him.

ajsccfc said:
I'm almost surprised he hasn't got Telfer as part of his coaching staff by now too.

jesus-wept · Aug 23, 2013

A player there at that time told me that the problem Gordon Strachan had was he wanted to be manager and part of the crowd too. Attended player functions hogging the limelight then being their boss too, consequently he lost respect and the squad played nowhere near to their potential. Basically as a person he wasn't that well liked, you don't have to be, but to lose respect as a top manager you're on a loser.

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