The New Raith Rovers Thread

[Nairney]

Re: Hughes. I thought (and still think) he was the best possible appointment we could have made. In fact, I was slightly amazed we seemed to have, at last, got a decision right. I was hopeful he'd manage to turn things around and drag us up to a mid-table spot and then commit to next season.

That looks less likely with every game. Partially, it's not Hughes' fault - Locke's signings, low confidence / morale, poor and slow decision making by our board. On the other hand, he hasn't won me over either - I'd hoped we see more passion, confidence and ability being instilled in the players as weeks go by. I'd hoped we might start to grind results out (McGlynn style). 

At times Hughes looks and sounds like a man who just can't be bothered anymore and, here's the thing, he can wash his hands of this team. This won't hamper his future job prospects, as he can attribute it all (quite rightly) to Locke and our Board. Had we made a permanent appointment, there would certainly have been a lot more pressure to look for longer term solutions and fight to stay up. Hindsight is a great thing!

Regardless of who is at the helm now, there are still no excuses for allowing Locke to linger for as long as he did. 

[Ancient Mariner]

is Hughes really that bothered what happens to RRFC this season ?

won't affect his next career move whether he keeps us up or we go down

he can rightly say that he was given an underperforming squad that locke and jackson had so f***** up

that he he no time to turn it round, there is no doubt that locke was kept on well past his use by date

nothing will stick to him, he will walk away head held high 

[Black and White Tragic]

Was taking in a charity game in Cardenden today and saw a blast from your past still putting the boots on...

[pub car king]

Get him signed.

 

[Ex Machina]

Get him signed.
 

A Marv and M'Voto centre back pairing with C.Barr just in front of them. Moist at the thought. [emoji7]

[renton]

13 hours ago, Nairney said:

Re: Hughes. I thought (and still think) he was the best possible appointment we could have made. In fact, I was slightly amazed we seemed to have, at last, got a decision right. I was hopeful he'd manage to turn things around and drag us up to a mid-table spot and then commit to next season.

That looks less likely with every game. Partially, it's not Hughes' fault - Locke's signings, low confidence / morale, poor and slow decision making by our board. On the other hand, he hasn't won me over either - I'd hoped we see more passion, confidence and ability being instilled in the players as weeks go by. I'd hoped we might start to grind results out (McGlynn style). 

At times Hughes looks and sounds like a man who just can't be bothered anymore and, here's the thing, he can wash his hands of this team. This won't hamper his future job prospects, as he can attribute it all (quite rightly) to Locke and our Board. Had we made a permanent appointment, there would certainly have been a lot more pressure to look for longer term solutions and fight to stay up. Hindsight is a great thing!

Regardless of who is at the helm now, there are still no excuses for allowing Locke to linger for as long as he did. 

Hughes hasn't had his troubles to seek. He hasn't been able to pick Cuthbert - by far our best keeper, and one of the more vocal and senior members of the squad. He lost Stewart to injury not long after he came in, and whatever Stewart's shortcomings in front of goal, he offered an outball that none of the other 'strikers' at the club bar Stevenson did, the latter of course, who threw the towel in. Then he loses Callachan for the remainder of the season: Even on his worst days he offers at least some combativeness and mobility in the middle, which we will now be sorely lacking. Whatever is going on with B.Barr is of Hughes own doing, obviously but with all that Hughes is working not only with a team shot of confidence, but one without many of the club's more influential players.

Locke should never have got the second window. The writing was on the wall by the time the Falkirk game rolled around.

We are almost certainly down, now, I think - and probably in tenth as well. We won't pull away from Ayr before we paly them, and will meekly surrender to them at home.

[Scary Bear]

Hughes hasn't had his troubles to seek. He hasn't been able to pick Cuthbert - by far our best keeper, and one of the more vocal and senior members of the squad. He lost Stewart to injury not long after he came in, and whatever Stewart's shortcomings in front of goal, he offered an outball that none of the other 'strikers' at the club bar Stevenson did, the latter of course, who threw the towel in. Then he loses Callachan for the remainder of the season: Even on his worst days he offers at least some combativeness and mobility in the middle, which we will now be sorely lacking. Whatever is going on with B.Barr is of Hughes own doing, obviously but with all that Hughes is working not only with a team shot of confidence, but one without many of the club's more influential players.

Locke should never have got the second window. The writing was on the wall by the time the Falkirk game rolled around.

We are almost certainly down, now, I think - and probably in tenth as well. We won't pull away from Ayr before we paly them, and will meekly surrender to them at home.

 

I'd have to stick up for the BoD here. The Falkirk game was only the second defeat in a row. Sacking Locke then would probably have been seen as harsh, even though we were humped.

 

To be fair, this BoD are not a knee jerk lot and I personally didn't get the dread feeling of 'we are going down' until the defeat to Dumbarton on 28th January. That was on the back of a credible performance in the cup. By then it was too late. As a Board member you're thinking 'do we just give him the season and see what happens or do we get someone else in'. They got someone else in, but the new guy hasn't managed any better than the last guy. To be honest, in hindsight, I'd have had more sympathy for the BoD if they had stuck by their man. When a BoD sack a manager they are really highlighting their own failings during the recruitment process.

 

Yogi let Coustrain go and has fallen out with Stevenson and Barr, while playing Roberts and Skacel. That's not good management when you can't bring anyone else in. Throw in the no goalkeeper shambles. He doesn't appear to have much of a clue what he's doing.

 

Let's hope a miracle happens and we don't get relegated.

[renton]

2 minutes ago, Scary Bear said:

 

I'd have to stick up for the BoD here. The Falkirk game was only the second defeat in a row. Sacking Locke then would probably have been seen as harsh, even though we were humped.

 

To be fair, this BoD are not a knee jerk lot and I personally didn't get the dread feeling of 'we are going down' until the defeat to Dumbarton on 28th January. That was on the back of a credible performance in the cup. By then it was too late. As a Board member you're thinking 'do we just give him the season and see what happens or do we get someone else in'. They got someone else in, but the new guy hasn't managed any better than the last guy. To be honest, in hindsight, I'd have had more sympathy for the BoD if they had stuck by their man. When a BoD sack a manager they are really highlighting their own failings during the recruitment process.

 

Yogi let Coustrain go and has fallen out with Stevenson and Barr, while playing Roberts and Skacel. That's not good management when you can't bring anyone else in. Throw in the no goalkeeper shambles. He doesn't appear to have much of a clue what he's doing.

 

Let's hope a miracle happens and we don't get relegated.

Only the second defeat in a row, but already on the back of a fairly long winless streak by that point.

[P475]

I hope you guys can turn things around. You played some good attacking football on Saturday, and looked much improved since our game over the festive season.  

I'd be gutted if you lot go down, because I love our games against each other. 

[Scary Bear]

Only the second defeat in a row, but already on the back of a fairly long winless streak by that point.

Hmmm, but we are rubbish during winter most seasons and it was a load of draws rather than a load of defeats. Our support seem fairly happy with draws, even now when we are crying out for wins. Wouldn't surprise me if the Board are the same. There's been no particular ambition or sense of a vision for the club for some time. We just tend to exist.

[Michael W]

Ryan Stevenson's quit Troon already...for a club in Australia. 

[Scary Bear]

Ryan Stevenson's quit Troon already...for a club in Australia. 

 

So he's even been found out at Junior level. Time for a new career I think.

 

Ha also needs to look up 'retired' in a dictionary.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

Ryan Stevenson's quit Troon already...for a club in Australia. 

What's Yogi said to him now?

[Ancient Mariner]

7 hours ago, ListerRRFC said:

 

A Marv and M'Voto centre back pairing with C.Barr just in front of them. Moist at the thought.

 

A Marv and M'Voto strike force with Mango in behind them would be better

might actually get a goal or two

anything would be better than what we have

[roverthemoon]

4 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

There's been no particular ambition or sense of a vision for the club for some time. We just tend to exist.

 

I'm all for having a pop at the Board over the ridiculous appointment of Gary Locke, but this kind of statement doesn't hold water. This time last year we had an ambitious manager who had us flying and in the play-offs. We'd stabilised the finances and even posted a profit or two and there was lots happening off the pitch - new community officer, development squad building, initiatives for kids. Of course a lot of that will be pissed away if we go down but it was hardly 'just existing'.

[roverthemoon]

I notice this thread has reached page 2000. What chance that it will be on page 2004 when we get relegated as a kind of nod to the infamous Claude Anelka 

[Scary Bear]

I'm all for having a pop at the Board over the ridiculous appointment of Gary Locke, but this kind of statement doesn't hold water. This time last year we had an ambitious manager who had us flying and in the play-offs. We'd stabilised the finances and even posted a profit or two and there was lots happening off the pitch - new community officer, development squad building, initiatives for kids. Of course a lot of that will be pissed away if we go down but it was hardly 'just existing'.

We were good last year, but we finished 4th and got pumped out the play-offs at the first time of asking. Still night and day compared to this season.

So, what are the ambitions of the club? What is the vision? 

To me it is totally 'just existing'. There's no plan that I can get behind.

Who is the new community officer? What does he do?

How many players from the Development Squad do we plan to have in the first team in 5 years time?

What initiatives for kids, other than chucking balls at Roary? To be fair here, I do see things about keepie up contests in the town square and kick abouts outside the South Stand, and while these kind of initiatives are all good, I want to know strategy for the future in terms of where we get our players and whether we plan to ever try and get promoted to the Premiership or we just want to yo-yo between the Seaside League and Championship.

At the current time, talk of the Premiership seems mental given we look to be heading in the opposite direction, but i'd still like to think we had a plan rather than just existing.

 

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

4 hours ago, Scary Bear said:

 

So he's even been found out at Junior level. Time for a new career I think.

 

Ha also needs to look up 'retired' in a dictionary.

Also that's a shit load of commuting he'll be doing, I hope he can cope with it. 

[foreverarover]

A Marv and M'Voto centre back pairing with C.Barr just in front of them. Moist at the thought. [emoji7]

That's just suicide in defence if the ball is played to either players feet. !!!!

[foreverarover]

We were good last year, but we finished 4th and got pumped out the play-offs at the first time of asking. Still night and day compared to this season. So, what are the ambitions of the club? What is the vision? 
To me it is totally 'just existing'. There's no plan that I can get behind.
Who is the new community officer? What does he do?
How many players from the Development Squad do we plan to have in the first team in 5 years time?
What initiatives for kids, other than chucking balls at Roary? To be fair here, I do see things about keepie up contests in the town square and kick abouts outside the South Stand, and while these kind of initiatives are all good, I want to know strategy for the future in terms of where we get our players and whether we plan to ever try and get promoted to the Premiership or we just want to yo-yo between the Seaside League and Championship.
At the current time, talk of the Premiership seems mental given we look to be heading in the opposite direction, but i'd still like to think we had a plan rather than just existing.
 

For me it has went as far back as the year we finished sevcond in the league, to tell it fans it was better financially to finish second bottom. We have a massive noose around our neck which is Starks Pk, and unfortunately until it is back in the club's hands it's going to be more of the same. There is so much that can be done at the ground if we had ownership to generate pre and post match income.