berwick-the-unbeatable Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Take it Brennan isn't very good then if you're all worried? He was decent Saturday but is inexperienced and has blundered a couple earlier this season. Looked like his short loan spell had benefited him though. Would rather him than Walker without doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdenbeath Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Just now, berwick-the-unbeatable said: He was decent Saturday but is inexperienced and has blundered a couple earlier this season. Looked like his short loan spell had benefited him though. Would rather him than Walker without doubt. His defence didn't do him much favours yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwick-the-unbeatable Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 His defence didn't do him much favours yesterday. Not at all. His save for the second was excellent, he made a couple of other good saves, was keen to relieve pressure by coming for aerial balls (despite coming up against the first ref in history not to protect the keeper in any way) and in general his distribution was decent. Still, Mackay was a cut above and he'll be a big loss whoever fills his jersey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1320Lichtie Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Watched the highlights just there and think his positioning for the second is way off. Headers in the middle of the goals near enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcar Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 After tonight's Beath win at Clyde, and with away games at Elgin And Forfar up next, and considering that arguably our best team that played OK but deservedly lost at home to Arbroath..... anyone else got a touch if dyspepsia? Pass the Rennies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Haynes' Son Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 After tonight's Beath win at Clyde, and with away games at Elgin And Forfar up next, and considering that arguably our best team that played OK but deservedly lost at home to Arbroath..... anyone else got a touch if dyspepsia? Pass the Rennies. Just gotta stay positive and get behind the lads for the remaining games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 1 hour ago, Redcar said: After tonight's Beath win at Clyde, and with away games at Elgin And Forfar up next, and considering that arguably our best team that played OK but deservedly lost at home to Arbroath..... anyone else got a touch if dyspepsia? Pass the Rennies. how do you think I feel mate.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 2 hours ago, tamthebam said: how do you think I feel mate.....! Well, I never felt more like sniffing the glue, when Edinburgh City win and Berwick Rangers lose. Oh, Edinburgh City, you got me sniffing the glue. The Hibs and Hearts play in our town. Civil Service Strollers too, But you know which team we love the best, It's Edinburgh City for me and you, for me and you.... (Tune to Guy Mitchell's 'Singing the Blues') Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandits Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 There seems a complete lack of interest in the current situation at the club. Anyone else worried that we might only be three points above the bottom team come 5pm on Saturday? Think we will just do enough to keep ourselves safe especially with Cowdenbeaths run in but it simply is not good enough again. Poor signings, poor performances and poor discipline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I think big John Coughlin has a few good years in him yet as manager of Berwick Rangers. All he needs now is a few good men. I think he said in his last Shielfield Park post match interview - if I remember correctly - that people keep going on about him needing to motivate his players . No more Al Pacino videos then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 OK. I've just watched another one of big John Coughlin's post match interviews on Berwick Rangers TV (while some of the more sensible people among us would obviously have probably rather watched the highlights of the East Enders, Gable Enders or Coronation Street etc on catch-up TV) The interview in 'question' took place after the most recent defeat to Arbroath and what I have to say here will be a game changer. John is wrong! Look away now if you don't want to hear the answer, but instead just admire the picture below of big John Coughlin in the dug out at Meadowbank when he was in charge of the Meadowbank Thistle White Team against Terry Christie's Meadowbank Thistle Amber Team in the Meadowbank Reunion in 2007 and move on to the next post. (If you want to know who won that match and who got the first goal, then you'll have to read the spoiler alert I'm afriad. Spoiler The reason why I say that big John is wrong is that he's looking at the game from a very negative perspective and that needs to change. And it needs to change now. Here's why and I hope everybody's been paying attention so far because I've been reviewing Rudd Gullit's book 'How To Watch Football' for the Edinburgh City Fanzine 'Go Tell The Spartans FC' - available for every home league 2 match at Meadowbank Stadium. You may have read some of my reviews on Pie & Bovril already, perhaps not, but the crux of the matter is that it's not me who's giving the expert advice, it's Rudd Gullit. I'm honest enough to say that I know nothing about football. I wasn't even good enough to play for my school at secondary level, so I took up rugby instead and played a left winger for Musselburgh Grammar School. (And I didn't get through many games for them either to tell you the truth.) Anyway, on with the game. By coincidence, the next episode of my review is called, 'The First Goal'. I've not written it or published it yet online because I've stopped to write this first for all you Berwick bandits fans on here. [I'll probably copy and paste it from here directly into the City Fanzine page tonight when I get home from work]. John says in his Arbroath interview - to paraphrase it a little here because I'm not going to the bother of transcribing it all or listen to it again for you lot, listen to it yourselves if you like - "The first goal is vital". John's wrong and he's wrong because if he's telling his players that 'the first goal is vital' and then when they lose that first goal, what's going to happen? Their confidence is going to go right downhill, isn't it, and the game is going to be an uphill struggle for both him and the players from then on in. I've not been following the results of Berwick Rangers this season, apart from when they are due to play Edinburgh City in their next game, but you tell me in how many games have Berwick Rangers lost the first goal and then gone on to lose the match? Plenty I'd imagine! And, in how many games have Berwick Rangers scored the first goal and either gone on to win, lose or draw the match? You tell me. OK, Here's what Rudd Gullit has to say about 'the first goal' and remember you'll need to take your boots and socks off to count how many awards he's won in his long illustrious career as a player and a manager of some of the top clubs in Europe - no, the world - and he gets paid to do this kind of stuff on TV as well so he should know, Right?. "The first goal is not always decisive, It all depends on your reaction. And that response depends on the circumstances and the moment in the game. As a manager I never let a quick goal (whether for my side or against us) confuse me. If you go a goal down, there's still plenty of opportunity to correct the score; and if you go a goal up, the other side has oceans of time to make up the difference. After an early goal, whether as a manager in the dug-out or as a player on the pitch, I approached the game as if the score were still 0-0. At that point, 1-0 or 0-1, it is still too early to draw conclusions or to make dramatic changes and bring on substitutes. Perhaps a minor in the formation, but only if the other side is employing different tactics from what you anticipated. A goal in the closing stages of a game can change everything, even though things may go either way. If you score near the end and take the lead, then you can expect the other side to collapse, physically and mentally. It is basic psychology: you get a goal and then you think - right, we've got what we wanted. Actually the opposite often happens. The other side suddenly gets a shot of Adrenalin, a sort of primitive instinct drives them to make up the deficit. On the pitch they pick up the second ball more often, and they play a little faster, tougher and harder than you do. And although you're ahead, suddenly you're the weaker side and if they score an equaliser............" It's me talking again, Mr Blobby this time. Good stuff from Rudd there and that should be enough to be going on with to explain the philosophy and the dynamics of the 'John Coughlin Effect' on the Berwick Rangers players during a match. I was at the EOS Qualifying Cup Final at The Oriam last Sunday to watch Spartans v Lothian Thistle Hutchinson Vale. (You can read my match report of the final over on the Edinburgh City thread on Page 4 of the City Fanzine titled, 'Ross Pilcher's Day Off'. The Vale went one up in 9 minutes and went in 1-0 up at half time. I overheard someone in the corridor as I was leaving the centre, after the match, that apparently the Spartans dressing room got a right bollocking during their half time team talk. And rightly so. Spartans are in the Lowland League. Lothian Thistle HV are in a division lower than that and you'd expect the Spartans to walk the game, especially with an ex Edinburgh City striker in their ranks in the shape and form of the 'cocky little shit' called Ross Allum ('cocky little shit' not my words but the words of a guy I spoke to last week who used to play football with Ross Allum at a school in Balerno). Anyway, I digress again. Here's the point. The Spartans did come back and equalise and then went on to win the game pretty much as Rudd Gullit predicts earlier in his piece on his match analysis in italics above. I was sitting right above the Spartans bench at the Oriam and the amount of times I heard one of the coaches shout 'second ball' 'second ball' at his players was unbelievable. I videoed some of it so I could probably find out who the coach was because. They had letters on their tracksuit tops but I really can't be bothered to look back at it all now. So why panic when you lose the first goal and why panic if the opposition score in the first 9 minutes of a game. It doesn't matter. As Rudd says, there's plenty of time to 'claw back that inch and fight for every inch' or was that Al Pacino who said that in' Every Given Sunday'? You see, Big John is getting his players stressed out for telling them - and us - that the first goal is vital. It's not. It's really not. First goals matter no more than the colour of your shorts and The Spartans (and countless others) have proved that misconception of Big John's last Sunday at the EOS Qualifying Cup Final at the Oriam Centre. And as we all know from the coach's speech in the sketch from Michael Palin's Ripping Yarns episode called 'Golden Gordon' about Barnstoneworth United; 'Shorts don't matter!' - And neither should first goals. So why does Big John think he needs to put so much pressure on his players - and himself (because you can see him battering his clipboard over his head time and time again on the touchline when things go wrong) by telling them that the first goal is vital? Let's start instead by tell the Berwick players (and you the supporters) from now on that the first goal's not vital and if I hear Big John sneak in the words 'maybe the first goal's not as vital as I thought' into his next post-match report on Berwick Rangers TV, then we'll all know he's been reading the Berwick Rangers thread on Pie & Bovril. So what we need from Big John now is to be more relaxed on the touchline whenever the team loses the first goal. (Which they will on occasions, let's be honest and face it). We want to hear Big John give the players a bit more encouragement (as opposed to motivation) and be more like the Spartans coach who shouted out, 'OK second ball' 'second ball' let's win the second ball'. And if the team does go in at half-time, still a goal down to an early goal, by all means give the players a right old-fashioned bollocking behind closed doors - like the Spartans coach is allegedly said to have done - and preferably behind closed doors without leaks like they have at the Oriam Centre where they let people overhear conversions from people who then pass on those conversations to people like me who have always got their ears open. Have a nice day and thanks for listening. PS. I'll never forget the time John Coughlin managed a team for us in the Meadowbank Reunion in 2007 at Meadowbank Stadium. In fact how could I forget? I was watching the highlights of the game only last night. I've got it all on DVD. John was so cool then. He was in charge of the White Team (my adopted side) and Terry Christie was in charge of the Amber Team (David Baxter's pick). John lost that match 3-2 and his team went down to an early first goal as well but did his head go down? Not bloody likely. It's no shame in losing to the great Terry Christie or 'GOD' as we called him then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Haynes' Son Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 You need to get out more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwick-the-unbeatable Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I think you've actually picked up on the wrong thing Mr Blobby. Personally I'm getting a little bored of him telling us that it isn't his job to motivate players and that they should be able to motivate themselves. In principal, he is right. If you can't motivate yourself to some degree in our current circumstances you shouldn't be getting paid to play football. But equally, we're paying him a full time wage to seemingly outright refuse to try motivate his squad. This isn't 2007. We don't have Gary O'Connor, Gary Wood, Grant McNicoll, Robbie Horn, Iain Thomson, Stuart Fraser, Kevin Haynes and co. That squad had enough leaders to be self-motivated. Football has moved on in a short space of time and leaders aren't as prevelant. I'd say we have as many as 3. 1 isn't even a guaranteed regular and I don't think 1 is good or fit enough. If Coughlin doesn't see it as his job to motivate them when they're in a tough position then I'm unsure who he expects to. It isn't going to be the players digging themselves out of a hole and that basically leaves it to the fans. I've banged on all season about how important and worthwhile I think it is to get behind em (our best performances and wins have all came when we have done), but unless the club are gonna start filling the ducket full of complimentary bottles of MD2020, you're not going to see that level of support sustained sadly - certainly not in a period where we're threatening to pump out our worst finish in our worst decade ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandits Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 34 minutes ago, berwick-the-unbeatable said: I think you've actually picked up on the wrong thing Mr Blobby. Personally I'm getting a little bored of him telling us that it isn't his job to motivate players and that they should be able to motivate themselves. In principal, he is right. If you can't motivate yourself to some degree in our current circumstances you shouldn't be getting paid to play football. But equally, we're paying him a full time wage to seemingly outright refuse to try motivate his squad. This isn't 2007. We don't have Gary O'Connor, Gary Wood, Grant McNicoll, Robbie Horn, Iain Thomson, Stuart Fraser, Kevin Haynes and co. That squad had enough leaders to be self-motivated. Football has moved on in a short space of time and leaders aren't as prevelant. I'd say we have as many as 3. 1 isn't even a guaranteed regular and I don't think 1 is good or fit enough. If Coughlin doesn't see it as his job to motivate them when they're in a tough position then I'm unsure who he expects to. It isn't going to be the players digging themselves out of a hole and that basically leaves it to the fans. I've banged on all season about how important and worthwhile I think it is to get behind em (our best performances and wins have all came when we have done), but unless the club are gonna start filling the ducket full of complimentary bottles of MD2020, you're not going to see that level of support sustained sadly - certainly not in a period where we're threatening to pump out our worst finish in our worst decade ever. At last a bit of decent chat about the team!! I think we have enough in the locker to stay out of real trouble but it's alright saying that the players and management have to ensure that. Ultimately the buck stops with the manager and it is his job to ensure that the team is motivated and up for the challenge. Too many times that has not happened this season and there has been far too many poor performances, poor signings and ill discipline which again is the managers responsibility to deal with. It's important that we get behind the players at this time, as you say they have responded to that in the past, to help us stay away from the trap door but come the end of the season the board may have to think where we are going here. We can't just keep having a clear out of players and saying they are not good enough, it's got to be better than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 9 hours ago, Kevin Haynes' Son said: You need to get out more I had the shits all last week and a tummy bug. Spent 48 hours in bed last weekend. But yes I do plan to get out more this Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Blobby Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 2 hours ago, bandits said: At last a bit of decent chat about the team!! I think we have enough in the locker to stay out of real trouble but it's alright saying that the players and management have to ensure that. Ultimately the buck stops with the manager and it is his job to ensure that the team is motivated and up for the challenge. Too many times that has not happened this season and there has been far too many poor performances, poor signings and ill discipline which again is the managers responsibility to deal with. It's important that we get behind the players at this time, as you say they have responded to that in the past, to help us stay away from the trap door but come the end of the season the board may have to think where we are going here. We can't just keep having a clear out of players and saying they are not good enough, it's got to be better than that. I pretty sure that the last game of the season at Shielfield Park - Berwick Rangers v Edinburgh City - will be meaningless apart from the money you pick up for 3 points from Ladbrokes. From what I've seen this season and going by what's left in the tank, both clubs will be safe. Mind you, I'll still be turning up for the game with the Blobby Army and will expect nothing less than a guided tour of the boardroom again like I got in 2007 on the first day of the season when the Wee Gers unfurled the Black & Gold Championship flag and I got to hold the Cup. (Not the original one Coff is seen holding here at the 2007 Reunion. They made a new one after league reconstruction and the Second Division Championship Trophy that Meadowbank Thistle won in the 1986/87 season became a relic in the Hampden Park Museum where we borrowed it from for the 2007 Reunion Event. I had to get the Trophy insured for £6,000 before the chief executive would release it to me, in case somebody nicked it ) That could be a young Tam-the-Bam in the background actually (haven't seen his ears in years) with the full Monty in the black top and Charlie Farley in the 2007 Amber Meadowbank Reunion top behind Monty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcar Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 I don't think there is much wrong with the spirit/motivation in the team and I'm told there is no particular problem between the players and the manager. Our problems are down to ability (and the regular cock-ups at the back that knock the stuffing out of our decent players during the game). They put a lot into the Arbroath game, and didn't even win a corner or have a shot on target. Essentially, we were outclassed by a decent Arbroath team. We are crap against well organised and skilful teams (Elgin and Arbroath) but can compete with the rest. Remember, it is only a few weeks ago that we beat Annan, Forfar and Clyde in fairly quick succession. However, we have weaknesses everywhere, and the end of season inquest will not be comfortable reading for John Coughlin. Some of his signings and tactics have been baffling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandits Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 34 minutes ago, Redcar said: I don't think there is much wrong with the spirit/motivation in the team and I'm told there is no particular problem between the players and the manager. Our problems are down to ability (and the regular cock-ups at the back that knock the stuffing out of our decent players during the game). They put a lot into the Arbroath game, and didn't even win a corner or have a shot on target. Essentially, we were outclassed by a decent Arbroath team. We are crap against well organised and skilful teams (Elgin and Arbroath) but can compete with the rest. Remember, it is only a few weeks ago that we beat Annan, Forfar and Clyde in fairly quick succession. However, we have weaknesses everywhere, and the end of season inquest will not be comfortable reading for John Coughlin. Some of his signings and tactics have been baffling. Cowdenbeath at home springs to mind of a good example of not being motivated. I'm not sure that other teams are much better which is more an indication of how poor the league is. Other teams have been more consistent and perhaps more prepared to have a go rather than being more concerned about getting beat. I was behind the manager earlier in the season but now I'm totally unconvinced as things on the playing side have certainly not improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcar Posted March 24, 2017 Share Posted March 24, 2017 4 minutes ago, bandits said: Cowdenbeath at home springs to mind of a good example of not being motivated. Fair point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwick-the-unbeatable Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 In fairness, I'd put Cowden at home down to a quite catastophic tactical decision. Coughlin blamed motivation that day but took absolutely no responsibilty for reverting to one up top quite inexplicably. The result of inviting pressure and pumping aimless long balls all day was minimal possession, absolutely no rhythm in our play and gifting a Cowden side with everything to prove the momentum for a full 90 minutes and a number of chances to score. In addition to that, he was too stubborn to change it when it was quite clearly failing - and we ended up being 3 behind before making a change. I think the reality is the issues are a mix of 3. But Redcar is spot on that whatever happens from here, the season will not make good reading for Coughlin. Weirdly I'd like to see him have another crack at it but he has to make major changes (yet again we're back to rebuilding) and given the frequency at which that has happened over the last decade and the frequency at which that has led to another shite season, I wouldn't be shocked to see us fail again next year. One thing I'd like to see us do is back the manager properly in the summer. No more of this get to December, panic like f**k and sign a dozen players routine, all because we were tightening the pursestrings in the sunnier weather. Get a large decent squad in from early on and see where it takes us. If we're in L2 of course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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