Tommy's interview - seething

Open now for discussion of all things Darlo!

Moderators: mikkyx, uncovered

The Golden Hairclip
Posts: 321
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 7:45 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by The Golden Hairclip » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:24 pm

I’m going to swim against the tide here. Football is very different to other workplaces. Rightly or wrongly, it just is. Players are spoilt kids - at every level!

I think Tommy should be commended for publicly identifying that he hasn’t been hard enough on the players and that he will introduce stricter discipline, i.e. no excuses for not turning up to training and making sure you do your own fitness work on the off days.

Being a semi-pro takes discipline but we need to help those without the self control by putting clear boundaries in place and monitoring their their fitness every week - i.e. weigh them, monitor their heart rate, and measure other fitness indicators.

If they’re not performing or looking after themselves then they’re dropped with loanees, kids or northern league players taking their spot.

Tommy is young and he’s learning his trade under difficult financial constraints. We need to back the lad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar
gabbas
Posts: 692
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:50 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Darlo

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by gabbas » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:27 pm

But he’s admitted he has had the opportunity to sign loan players but wanted to stick by the players.

banktopp
Posts: 861
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:59 pm
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Hereford

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by banktopp » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:31 pm

The Golden Hairclip wrote:I’m going to swim against the tide here. Football is very different to other workplaces. Rightly or wrongly, it just is. Players are spoilt kids - at every level!

I think Tommy should be commended for publicly identifying that he hasn’t been hard enough on the players and that he will introduce stricter discipline, i.e. no excuses for not turning up to training and making sure you do your own fitness work on the off days.

Tommy is young and he’s learning his trade under difficult financial constraints. We need to back the lad.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for your insight Mrs Wright.

The Golden Hairclip
Posts: 321
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 7:45 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by The Golden Hairclip » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:32 pm

banktopp wrote:
The Golden Hairclip wrote:I’m going to swim against the tide here. Football is very different to other workplaces. Rightly or wrongly, it just is. Players are spoilt kids - at every level!

I think Tommy should be commended for publicly identifying that he hasn’t been hard enough on the players and that he will introduce stricter discipline, i.e. no excuses for not turning up to training and making sure you do your own fitness work on the off days.

Tommy is young and he’s learning his trade under difficult financial constraints. We need to back the lad.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thank you for your insight Mrs Wright.
Haha...touché


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Alfie
Posts: 420
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 8:33 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Eye, Suffolk

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Alfie » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:33 pm

It will be very difficult to impose a more disciplined regime having been seen as easy going/ soft touch. Far better to start as the strict disciplinarian and then when everyone knows where the authority lies and what the rules are you can ease off a bit.

tdk1
Posts: 2479
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:21 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by tdk1 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:34 pm

I'm all for supporting young managers, but you usually want them to at least show some aptitude for the job in its most basic form. Like Cowan at Telford, or bower, or Armstrong.

If the argument is just "he's young", then we could just let any 35 year old football enthusiast have a shot at it. Hell, that's me, I'll do it.

I've asked before and I'll ask again: does he even have any coaching badges? Everybody else seems to.

Vodka_Vic
Posts: 2473
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:27 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Vodka_Vic » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:45 pm

Correct. You can't excuse basic incompetence. I'm sure Mark Bower, Gavin Cowan or Anthony Johnson wouldn't have accepted these lax standards.

lo36789
Posts: 10928
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:58 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by lo36789 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:53 pm

tdk1 wrote:I'm all for supporting young managers, but you usually want them to at least show some aptitude for the job in its most basic form. Like Cowan at Telford, or bower, or Armstrong.

If the argument is just "he's young", then we could just let any 35 year old football enthusiast have a shot at it. Hell, that's me, I'll do it.

I've asked before and I'll ask again: does he even have any coaching badges? Everybody else seems to.
Yes he does. Was chatting to him pre season and he mentioned doing his with Matt Jansen.

QUAKERMAN2
Posts: 2826
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:43 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by QUAKERMAN2 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:54 pm

What message is it sending to the lads who do turn up for training and having a management duo accepting any excuse under the sun from others who cannot give a stuff..No surprise that a lack of spirit is so evident virtually week in, week out.Really hard to take when you look back over previous seasons where our strength was the team spirit,passion and a bond from a group of players Tommy deemed not good enough for his team.Seems like the so called sour grapes comments from these lads were in fact nearer the truth.God knows what the atmosphere will be like against Nuneaton if we go a goal behind....will get very toxic.

Sent from my moto g(6) play using Tapatalk

banktopp
Posts: 861
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 8:59 pm
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Hereford

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by banktopp » Sat Dec 01, 2018 7:56 pm

There are obviously players who have s*** on Wright, the club, and us the fans.
Darlington FC is seen as a soft touch. Caton sat on his contract and went to Manchester paid by us. And others. Word has got round, and other players now can't be bothered to turn up for training knowing they will still get paid to the end of their contract.

LoidLucan
Posts: 4536
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:29 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by LoidLucan » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:04 pm

The Golden Hairclip wrote:I’m going to swim against the tide here. Football is very different to other workplaces. Rightly or wrongly, it just is. Players are spoilt kids - at every level!

I think Tommy should be commended for publicly identifying that he hasn’t been hard enough on the players and that he will introduce stricter discipline, i.e. no excuses for not turning up to training and making sure you do your own fitness work on the off days.

Being a semi-pro takes discipline but we need to help those without the self control by putting clear boundaries in place and monitoring their their fitness every week - i.e. weigh them, monitor their heart rate, and measure other fitness indicators.

If they’re not performing or looking after themselves then they’re dropped with loanees, kids or northern league players taking their spot.

Tommy is young and he’s learning his trade under difficult financial constraints. We need to back the lad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's just flannel and you're trying to defend the indefensible. Can't see how he can face the fans who pay his and the players' wages and nor how he can work with players he has publicly outed. He's also tarred them all with the same brush as presumably one or two must bother to do a bit of training. If there wasn't already, there will be a toxic atmosphere around the camp. He's in charge, all of this is his responsibility and he has a duty to properly manage any problems that arise. Here we are, approaching the half-way point of the season and we have an admission that there has been a major problem in getting players to do the basics of what they are contracted to do. It's shocking. No excuses.

50 years
Posts: 626
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2017 12:02 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by 50 years » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:12 pm

Would have thought we could fine them for not turning up. At least that would help our position. Think that TW is too nice and trusting of the players and some are letting the fans and managent down. It's obvious why they seem unable to know where the players are to pass to and have to slow and look around.

tdk1
Posts: 2479
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:21 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by tdk1 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:15 pm

Clearly they don't want to be playing for a north east club. Let them go. If they don't want to travel, offer to end their contracts with zero payout so they can get home in good time. Don't blame them for that, but it's hardly come as a surprise to them.

LoidLucan
Posts: 4536
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:29 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by LoidLucan » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:17 pm

It's not about him being "too nice". He's not doing the job he's paid to do ie managing the players. He's clearly not up to the job, I'm afraid.

Wiseacre
Posts: 520
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:57 pm
Team Supported: Darlington &Notts County

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Wiseacre » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:19 pm

Wright's disclosures make some kind of sense of the contrasts between good performances like Telford (league) or Bradford and the rest. A decent manager would be able to get something out of a group of players like that but by his own admission the tail's wagging the dog. I don't say they're spoiled kids but they'll play up if you let them. Gray was barely house trained in some respects but I agree that he wouldn't have stood for this. I've given up agitating for his return and believe Wright should stay and clear up the mess. We know he can get good things out of the team - he could turn it round. The other issue as people are pointing out, is who would we get ?

al_quaker
Posts: 5942
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:51 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by al_quaker » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:21 pm

Disgraceful from Wright to let such action go until now, disgraceful from the players who have not been turning up for training too. Hideous

tdk1
Posts: 2479
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:21 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by tdk1 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:24 pm

LoidLucan wrote:It's not about him being "too nice". He's not doing the job he's paid to do ie managing the players. He's clearly not up to the job, I'm afraid.
God, it's been obvious for a while.

Who we get in is an entirely separate issue to getting shot of wright. He just hasnt got it in him to be a manager. Shame, sorry, move on.

QUAKERMAN2
Posts: 2826
Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:43 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by QUAKERMAN2 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:25 pm

You cannot have players spending anything up to a 4 hour round trip for training twice a week and another 4 hours on match days at BM and not let it affect you in some way, it is bound to drain you eventually.If those players missing training are some of the Midlands based lads, we don't know for sure, then this was pointed out by a few on this board when TW signed them and concerns were raised but Tommy was given the benefit of the doubt.Yes they have let the manager and club down and should be slapped on the transfer list and shipped out asap.

Sent from my moto g(6) play using Tapatalk

Darlogramps
Posts: 6025
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:47 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Darlogramps » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:30 pm

Wiseacre wrote: Wright should stay and clear up the mess. We know he can get good things out of the team - he could turn it round.
Don't confuse "good things" for putting in a handful of semi-decent performances where we fall short of winning (Spennymoor, Blyth, Bradford PA to name but three). How many games can we actually say we've played really well and gone on to win this season. Only Brackley and the Telford league game.

There's nothing in Wright's record as a manager, or his spell here to suggest he can turn it around. He's turned us into a joke. Players are openly mugging him off by not turning up to training, and he lets it slide. We played from the majority of the game today against 10 men and barely laid a glove on Chester. Wright said this squad was better than last season's, yet we're in a relegation battle. We have no firepower up front. The squad he's constructed is paper-thin.

There is no way I see him turning it around, so he has to go.
Wiseacre wrote:The other issue as people are pointing out, is who would we get ?
Plenty of people would want the job, or at least be available. Matthew Bates, John Flanagan, Ronnie Moore are three names I can think of off the top of my head who are immediately available and we wouldn't need to pay any compensation for.

None of them are perfect - each have their flaws, but also their positives as well. We're not going to find a perfect manager because he doesn't exist, certainly not at our level. But my point is there are people available who could surely do a better job the manager we have now. They can't do much worse.
If ever you're bored or miserable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlZohZoadGY

PierremontQuaker03
Posts: 2178
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 11:53 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by PierremontQuaker03 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:34 pm

This is Tommys doing - all these players from all over the place does not work when a club is part time, how these players can do a full time job (or even part time job) and then make it to training with a few hours in the car there and back is beyond me. I can understand initially when he came in to steady a sinking ship to bring in players who he knew - but as these players slowly move on we need part time players that are local. We have three big clubs in the area, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Newcastle - and we also have Leeds and now Huddersfield who are within a realistic distance - surely we need to be working with these guys, watching their reserves, under 23's - I am sure they are doing this already - but TW has got to change his ways now and get local talent, and find another Joe Wheatley. Yes we might get a few duds on the way but we will find some gems as well I'm sure.
“If you can't hit a driver, don't.”
Greg Norman

User avatar
gabbas
Posts: 692
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:50 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Darlo

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by gabbas » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:36 pm

Just another point on the interview. What are the players up to if not at training? Certainly can’t imagine them doing a workout if not training. I know we can’t stop them eating or drinking but my guess is there not doing much midweek.

al_quaker
Posts: 5942
Joined: Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:51 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by al_quaker » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:37 pm

I've been on the fence over Wright, and have been willing to give him more time. But this has tipped me over the edge. I don't see how he can be allowed to stay on after this, and those players who have not been coming into work should be placed on the transfer list tonight. Any player who is not willing to travel to work - whether they have to travel a short distance or a long distance, the distance was known to them before they signed their deal - should be nowhere near our club.

Moving those players on may give some scope for getting some players in who actually have a bit of bottle to give us a fighting chance of avoiding relegation.

jjljks
Posts: 3014
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:25 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by jjljks » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:38 pm

Alfie wrote:It will be very difficult to impose a more disciplined regime having been seen as easy going/ soft touch. Far better to start as the strict disciplinarian and then when everyone knows where the authority lies and what the rules are you can ease off a bit.
Quite right. Best bit of advice I had in teacher training was "start the term as a complete b******, then slack off so you are just a sod by end of the year"

Ghost_Of_1883
Posts: 1572
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:33 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Ghost_Of_1883 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:43 pm

Vodka_Vic wrote:I'm now shaking after watching this. Ray says that we've got 2 training sessions before the next game to which Tommy admits ' The excuses for not attending training have to stop. That's probably why we're where we are. Ultimately that's down to me and players will be attending training'.
Disgraceful. Almost bordering on gross misconduct. And clearly players who are not committed. I've heard enough and he has to go now.
That's what I thought as well. No wonder they look clueless, unfit and like they've never met each other.

Ghost_Of_1883
Posts: 1572
Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 9:33 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Ghost_Of_1883 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:47 pm

gabbas wrote:But he’s admitted he has had the opportunity to sign loan players but wanted to stick by the players.
Who he knows weren't turning up to training!

Vodka_Vic
Posts: 2473
Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:27 am
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Vodka_Vic » Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:12 pm

Wiseacre wrote:Wright's disclosures make some kind of sense of the contrasts between good performances like Telford (league) or Bradford and the rest. A decent manager would be able to get something out of a group of players like that but by his own admission the tail's wagging the dog. I don't say they're spoiled kids but they'll play up if you let them. Gray was barely house trained in some respects but I agree that he wouldn't have stood for this. I've given up agitating for his return and believe Wright should stay and clear up the mess. We know he can get good things out of the team - he could turn it round. The other issue as people are pointing out, is who would we get ?
I don't think he could turn it around. The players have signed for him and his 'hands off management style'. He won't suddenly be able to impose a new disciplinary style on the players if this is what they have bought into. Sadly I feel that our goose is cooked either way, because if we get someone else in to impose basic standards then the players who are in this cosy situation will not like that either and we simply can't afford with our budget to replace them. It will take a miracle to get out of this one.

jjlewis1k89
Posts: 33
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2018 6:40 pm

Tommy's interview - seething

Post by jjlewis1k89 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:19 pm

It’s an absolute insult to the fans who put their money forward to pay there wages. As a manager you should demand that the players attend training and accept no excuses, complete lack of management, as previously said MG wouldn’t of stood for this, he’s nailed the final nail in his coffin by admitting to this.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tdk1
Posts: 2479
Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 6:21 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by tdk1 » Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:30 pm

At one point in that interview does he appear to blame the fans for not creating a goof enough atmosphere?

User avatar
theoriginalfatcat
Posts: 6717
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:40 pm
Team Supported: Darlington

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by theoriginalfatcat » Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:35 pm

The Golden Hairclip wrote:I’m going to swim against the tide here. Football is very different to other workplaces. Rightly or wrongly, it just is. Players are spoilt kids - at every level!

I think Tommy should be commended for publicly identifying that he hasn’t been hard enough on the players and that he will introduce stricter discipline, i.e. no excuses for not turning up to training and making sure you do your own fitness work on the off days.

Being a semi-pro takes discipline but we need to help those without the self control by putting clear boundaries in place and monitoring their their fitness every week - i.e. weigh them, monitor their heart rate, and measure other fitness indicators.

If they’re not performing or looking after themselves then they’re dropped with loanees, kids or northern league players taking their spot.

Tommy is young and he’s learning his trade under difficult financial constraints. We need to back the lad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’m genuinely shocked by this post :thumbdown:
Profile pic ↗️
Feethams the Panda. 28 Jan 2012.
Now extinct!

Alfie
Posts: 420
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 8:33 am
Team Supported: Darlington
Location: Eye, Suffolk

Re: Tommy's interview - seething

Post by Alfie » Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:42 pm

We seem to have a perfect storm:

1. A team engaged in a relegation battle - a relegation that could be a one way trip to a feeder league system where 4 leagues between them promote 6 teams. And a league where we will likely be outspent by a good number of clubs
2. At least some players who have lost all respect for the manager, club and fans who pay their wages.
3. A manager ( or management team?) who have lost control of (some of) their players.
4. A CEO engaged in a cost cutting exercise to keep the club financially solvent.

The Poolies throwing away another winning position doesn't seem to help as much as it used to.

Post Reply