Cove Thread

[Tattie36]

37 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

Exactly once the momentum is lost is hard to regain it and given we've had essentially one rebuild in winter and if we do go down another will be happening in the summer it's no guarantee that we finding the winning formula to gun for the title or easily secure a playoff spot. Full time QoS proving it's not easy although I do think Bartley is a strong appointment and next season they will be pushing harder.

Cycles, setbacks and relegation happen to all clubs, we haven't experienced it yet in the SPFL yet but will one day inevitably and it's being able to bounce back.

Could very well meet in the playoffs. We have work to do to ensure we don't fall straight through the trap door first. Diamonds will be a strong test for anyone in the playoffs. Due a promotion for sure!

I agree with your points on points above on FT. We would definitely test the waters with hybrid before trying to stabilise as well as grow the structures off the field before going near to full time imo. 

I think Cove would be insane to even think about proper full-time football in the foreseeable future… or ever, unless they reach the Premiership.

There would be a very real danger of turning into Gretna MKII. A team with no real track record in the league, fanbase or infrastructure, living off investment only is a very dangerous approach. QP are slightly different imo as they obviously have huge relative potential… if only they could get their act together off the pitch. I do think they’re playing a dangerous game though even though if appears to be working. The tough job for them now is persuading enough Glasgow fitba fans to pick them as their team. They’ve fecked that opportunity up big time this season.

Back to Cove - go hybrid by all means, consolidate, build some success which will in turn attract more fans and investment. It then wouldn’t be such a leap if top-flight football was achieved, or a comedown if you had to go back part-time.

As already mentioned, there are few clubs outwith the current Premiership who can realistically be properly full-time: Dundee, Dunfermline, Falkirk and maybe Partick. All the other clubs with ambitions to play regular second tier or occasionally making a bid for the premiership (including us) should be looking at hybrid.

[kirkcaldybanjo111]

I think Cove lost the chance of recruiting fans is when they called themselves rangers.

[Moorie]

Reading some of the fans responses on the clubs social media and fans page. Hartley getting it hard from the fans now. Apparently fallen out with fans after the game yesterday too. 
 

 

[No_Problemo]

Hartley must be up there as one of the worst mid season appointments ever…

[oneteaminglasgow]

2 minutes ago, No_Problemo said:

Hartley must be up there as one of the worst mid season appointments ever…

Aye, Narey’s Toepoker put the stats on Twitter and he’s been an absolute disaster so far. I get that McIntyre wasn’t exactly well liked, or even doing particularly well but it’s grim reading.

 

[TheScarf]

Having the worst squad in the league by a mile probably doesn’t help. 

[CoveRangers1922]

43 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Having the worst squad in the league by a mile probably doesn’t help. 

3 loans back to parent clubs, all outstanding for us for us along with Yule and Fyvie out injured for 14 straight games and for the rest of the season respectively has contributed hugely to a contrasting 2nd half of the season.

Hartley taking in 10 players, nearly all failures and most so far beneath Championship standard definitely has been a major factor. Tough market is the winter window but blame lies with him and the board.

Naismith and Morgyn Neill as a centre back partnership is suicidal at this level. F**ked it with McKenzie and took in Fox who is rank rotten. Looks about 5ft nothing in the goal, time wastes from the first whistle, Terrible distribution, quiet as a mouse.

No qualms if/when we go down. Might sneak 9th but it will take a monumental turnaround to win the playoffs.

Edited April 2, 2023 by CoveRangers1922

[Tattie36]

15 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

3 loans back to parent clubs, all outstanding for us for us along with Yule and Fyvie out injured for 10 straight games and for the rest of the season respectively has contributed hugely to a contrasting 2nd half of the season.

Hartley taking in 10 players, nearly all failures and most so far beneath Championship standard definitely has been a major factor. Tough market is the winter window but blame lies with him and the board.

Naismith and Morgyn Neill as a centre back partnership is suicidal at this level. 

No qualms if/when we go down. Might sneak 9th but it will take a monumental turnaround to win the playoffs.

Looks to me like Cove have chucked it for the season. Yes, you might get 9th (8th is still a possibility ), but no way are you winning a playoff unless there’s a massive change in fortunes.

Looks more like the powers that be at the club have accepted likely relegation and will give Hartley the summer to rebuild and have another crack at L1 next season.

The Championship probably came too soon for Cove and some time back in L1 wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. Will allow them to consolidate, build more of a fanbase, improve facilities and look at going hybrid.

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Tattie36

[CoveRangers1922]

Just now, Tattie36 said:

Looks to me like Cove have chucked it for the season. Yes, you might get 9th (8th is still a possibility ), but no way are you winning a playoff unless there’s a massive change in fortunes.

Lokks more like the powers that be at the club have accepted likely relegation 

 

If Falkirk continue turning in performances of late that will help whoever finishes 9th but agree we'd be outsiders entering a playoff as we are now. Outside CB our first XI on their day could compete and make a game of the playoffs. Might just be trapdoor for us. Next Saturday will be telling.

Recruitment been a disaster and there are far too many players with no vested interest in the club who are just along for the ride.

[No_Problemo]

40 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Having the worst squad in the league by a mile probably doesn’t help. 

Well yeah, but Hartley basically signed an entire team - including David Bangala. 

[D'Jaffo]

57 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Having the worst squad in the league by a mile probably doesn’t help. 

It’s funny because they absolutely didn’t have the worst squad before Hartley arrived. They battered us at Somerset a few months ago and then were unfortunate to lose all their best players that they had on loan. 
 

Hartley signed utter shite in January but it seemed like they were desperate to get rid of McIntyre at the earliest opportunity despite the fact they probably wouldn’t have gone down under him. 

[CALDERON]

1 minute ago, D'Jaffo said:

It’s funny because they absolutely didn’t have the worst squad before Hartley arrived. They battered us at Somerset a few months ago and then were unfortunate to lose all their best players that they had on loan. 
 

Hartley signed utter shite in January but it seemed like they were desperate to get rid of McIntyre at the earliest opportunity despite the fact they probably wouldn’t have gone down under him. 

Yep.  Cove and some of their fans have got exactly what they deserve.  Desperate to get rid of McIntyre and bring Hartley back.

Cove have been used to winning and success for years, but they are now at a level where they can't compete long term.  They have a tiny fan base (they were amateur until the 80s I think) and the novelty has worn off across the city now that they aren't winning anything.  Even in the Highland league, they were one of the smaller supported clubs from memory.

 

[Tattie36]

42 minutes ago, D'Jaffo said:

It’s funny because they absolutely didn’t have the worst squad before Hartley arrived. They battered us at Somerset a few months ago and then were unfortunate to lose all their best players that they had on loan. 
 

Hartley signed utter shite in January but it seemed like they were desperate to get rid of McIntyre at the earliest opportunity despite the fact they probably wouldn’t have gone down under him. 

McIntyre must be pulling the heid aff it every Saturday evening just now.

One of the weirdest sackings I can remember. He had the team playing decent fitba, especially at home (they destroyed us at Balmoral in October) and sitting in a reasonably comfortable position in the league.

But as Calderon says - they aren’t (weren’t) used to losing or being “average”. Add in that they love Hartley so they were desperate to get rid of a manager they incorrectly saw as a failure to bring back the messiah, even after the Hartlepool disaster.

[CoveRangers1922]

A clubs history is never plain sailing as we all know, we've enjoyed success for a long while but we've contributed to our own downfall this season. If/when we go down we need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger. 

[Tattie36]

16 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

A clubs history is never plain sailing as we all know, we've enjoyed success for a long while but we've contributed to our own downfall this season. If/when we go down we need to learn from our mistakes and come back stronger. 

Yep, we’ll said. Cove’s constant success of the last few years must make it difficult to comprehend now things have gone pear shaped, particularly for your newer fans. Every “diddy” team in Scotland… and some of the bigger ones too, know what failure and crushing disappointment feels like.

On paper, Cove must have expected a successful season and to have at least had parity with QP, a team they were streets ahead of last season so I kind of understand the dissatisfaction with McIntyre and the position he had you in.

In hindsight, Cove should have set out with one goal only - to stay up, and forget thinking about promotion, league position, going full-time etc.

This league is brutal and doesn’t give a shit about making sense or sentiment - who would have thought Arbroath would struggle so badly this season after last?  Most of our fans never thought for one minute that we would be up the pointy end again this season but comfortable mid table to top half was the general hope and consensus.

Edited April 2, 2023 by Tattie36

[SandyCromarty]

Apart from Cove Hartley's managerial career has been a disaster, it's more than likely that Cove will be relegated but I'm sure Hartley will keep his job meantime and his spin will be that McIntyre was responsible for the failure not him, he's that type of guy.

Disappointing really as I like to see the north clubs doing well.

[CoveRangers1922]

1 hour ago, SandyCromarty said:

Apart from Cove Hartley's managerial career has been a disaster, it's more than likely that Cove will be relegated but I'm sure Hartley will keep his job meantime and his spin will be that McIntyre was responsible for the failure not him, he's that type of guy.

Disappointing really as I like to see the north clubs doing well.

He was successful with Alloa and Dundee to some extent prior to joining Cove the first time around. Horror show at Falkirk clearly.

5 promotions in a 10 year spell which isn't matched by many in the lower leagues. Caveat to that is he had substantial financial backing at many/all of those clubs.

I agree with you, he'll divert the blame to a large extent and nepotism will keep him in the job even if/when we go down. He'll get financially backed in L1 but will be expected to reach the playoffs at a minimum. Doesn't achieve that he will be shown the door in my opinion.

If Caley could chuck us a win that would be most welcome.

[annan4eva]

3 minutes ago, CoveRangers1922 said:

He was successful with Alloa and Dundee to some extent prior to joining Cove the first time around. Horror show at Falkirk clearly.

5 promotions in a 10 year spell which isn't matched by many in the lower leagues. Caveat to that is he had substantial financial backing at many/all of those clubs.

I agree with you, he'll divert the blame to a large extent and nepotism will keep him in the job even if/when we go down. He'll get financially backed in L1 but will be expected to reach the playoffs at a minimum. Doesn't achieve that he will be shown the door in my opinion.

If Caley could chuck us a win that would be most welcome.

Your last line says it all ? If that happens when the cops are done with Murrell they’ll be coming for you.

[CoveRangers1922]

43 minutes ago, annan4eva said:

Your last line says it all ? If that happens when the cops are done with Murrell they’ll be coming for you.

We're clearly on a disastrous run, confidence is extremely low which has led to self implosion and only ourselves can turn the tide even though I gave a throw away line above.

A win would instil some belief. We're not as quite bad as our results have shown. We can compete better than what we've shown of late. Not saying we would have got points but less of a drubbing. A long winless run is hard to snap out of. We're failing to convert good chances in front of goal due to it and pressure mounts.

I'm one of the first to say it's looking bleak and relegation is looming.

[CoveRangers1922]

Never did I think we'd keep a clean sheet tonight going into the match. We rode our luck but it was a huge point for us considering where we are and the fact we're a complete gang that doesn't resemble much of a team. Injury savaged and failed recruitment contributed hugely to our collapse.

The euphoria of tonight could well be short lived if Thistle don't get a win at Firhill tomorrow but right now we have a glimmer of hope. If results go our way tomorrow the pressure on all the bottom 3 sides will be intense going into next Friday night. 

Far from safety, even securing 9th, but some positivity and momentum in what has been a nightmare last 4 months.