Waterford *4

[gael353]

This Friday we play Waterford for the forth time this season. Our record is less then imprssive against them P 3 W 0 L 3 D0 F 2 A 6 PTS 0. They play a 4 2 4 with Dempsey and White sitting in front of the back four. Im going for a 1 1 draw.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Such a good outfit, if the first two months of the season hadn't been a balls up they'd probably top the division. It's depressing to say it, but a draw would be considered a good result for Limerick, despite being league leaders, and at home. I expect a conservative enough gameplan from Scully.

Waterford will be going all out to win though. Draw or lose and whatever hopes they have left of automatic promotion are finished.

[Lim till i die]

Such a good outfit, if the first two months of the season hadn't been a balls up they'd probably top the division.

The first two months balls up consisted of a seven game period where they picked up five points.

They've picked up four points from their last four.

It will be nothing short of a disgrace if we lose four times to Waterford this season.

We probably will. On account of being Limerick and that.

If we win we're champions, Longford can beat us and they'd still need us to slip up one more time than they do in the run in and looking at the fixtures that really, really, shouldn't happen.

I'd nearly take a draw in the hope Longford slip up before we play them.

0 - 2 defeat it is then. :)

[NeverFeltBetter]

Why are Waterford playing Mervue Monday night when they have another game Friday?

[Lim till i die]

Refixed cup game.

Waterlogged pitch Friday.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Sucks for them.

[bluewhitearmy]

Is there any reason why Bradley has been dropped last 2 games or is it just Scully being Scullly?

[Jofspring]

Is there any reason why Bradley has been dropped last 2 games or is it just Scully being Scullly?

Why would we play Bradley when we have a perfectly good centre back who can go onto the wing? If we did something silly like start Bradley then we could be even more crazy and play Jeffrey judge on the wing where he has played before.

I hope to god Scully doesn't go crazy on team selection for a big game like he does 90% of the time.

[fieldofmarkets]

As usual, we will know 5 minutes before kick off if we will have a good result or not.

[bluewhitearmy]

Why would we play Bradley when we have a perfectly good centre back who can go onto the wing? If we did something silly like start Bradley then we could be even more crazy and play Jeffrey judge on the wing where he has played before.

I hope to god Scully doesn't go crazy on team selection for a big game like he does 90% of the time.


I seriously fear him snapping like a twig in the run in.

[Minesapint]

I seriously fear him snapping like a twig in the run in.
Scully has taken us to the top of the league after a bad start, limerick to win.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Waterford/Mervue cancelled again, so no rest advantage. RSC must be in bits.

[gael353]

Few things for Friday. Park well away from Jackman. Do not park on upper careys road (heading to the cie club) do not arrive at 7:45 and expect to walk in with no Q. Arrive early, purchase your tickets early from the club shop in Arthurs Quay. And for the team.....win

[bluewhitearmy]

Scully has taken us to the top of the league after a bad start, limerick to win.


Really id never have known.

It still doesn't stop the fact that dropping Bradely and playing a centre back on the wing are 2 unnecessary and stupid decisions.
I never said we wouldn't win but he has to stop with these stupid changes for changes sake.

[Jofspring]

Going to go for 1-1 in this game.

[kingpin4]

Is there any reason why Bradley has been dropped last 2 games or is it just Scully being Scullly?

Probably to do with the fact he keeps getting injured, can't trust him to play a full 90. Although, giving him 10 mins at harps was a bit of a head scratcher...

[thomas72]

WEre all talking about the players holding there nerve in the run in but a lot of people including me are hoping the manager holds his nerve and just picks his best team and play them in THere right positions.

[bluemovie]

Waterford/Mervue cancelled again, so no rest advantage. RSC must be in bits.

Bizarrely, it wasn't! The FAI ignored the expert advice of the RSC staff and jumped the gun to call the game off early (before Mervue travelled?) The rain had stopped, the pitch was draining properly and staff said it'd be fine by 5pm when they would cut it and re-line it for the game. One half of the pitch had supposedly been perfect, but the drainage had just been delayed by the high tide. It would've suited both clubs to get the game out of the way. Really frustrating for me because I had travelled home for it and was passing the RSC around 5.30 with the pitch looking in great condition and the sun shining!

Can't make the game tonight. I don't hold out much hope of us pushing our luck with a fourth win, but then again, I didn't think we'd win a third game...or a second or the first! Long and Kiely suspended for us with a doubt over Craig Burns so we might be missing both our centre halves. We've been playing really badly for a month so surely Limerick won't bottle it tonight....

[Lionel Ritchie]

Like Apollo Creed all Limerick need to do is stay standing.


We've been playing really badly for a month so surely Limerick won't bottle it tonight....

(blocks ears) Shuddup ...shuddup ...shuddup!!!!


;-)

[Jofspring]

Holy Christ. It never changes does it. Brutal again and again he starts a defender on the wing when he has a full squad + under 19's to choose from.

[LK37oldskool]

Big time bottlers !! Another weird team selection. Why did he leave Foley on for so long? totally useless(like most of the team to be fair). Not sure what Scully has to do to get the sack. POS certainly dose'nt listen to the fans thats for sure.
Absolutely gutted - again!!!!

[NeverFeltBetter]

I just one to say before anything else, fair play to Waterford. Four wins from four against any opposition is seriously impressive.

My father and I were wondering why we didn't break 1'000 at what was a big game, but the answer was obvious very fast. This was a truly awful game of football, and both sides are culpable. Whatever about the result, the game as a spectacle was the worst I've seen all season. So many long balls over the top, wayward shots, **** poor accuracy, inability to keep the ball down, bad tackles, a whistle happy ref, throw after throw after throw, free after free after free. The first five minutes of the second half,m as the two teams traded throw ins down the left, everyone around me on the hill was talking amongst themselves, on their phones, desperate to relieve the boredom.

The quality of this game was simply atrocious. Combined with the result, the incentive to come back and watch Limerick is very small.

So, the actual game. Limerick just played with a total lack of confidence, terrified of losing, spending so much time defending deep. Gaffney and Foley were frequently out of position when the balls came in, and did very little with the small amount of service they were able to control. Gaffney especially went for goal twice in the first half when a bit of patience would have served him better, his 35 yard volley being the best example.

The midfield had major trouble making any impact on the gamer with the ref blowing up so much. The defence was actually decent enough all game in shutting Waterford down, and up to the goal Ryan seemed confident and assured. The red card didn't actually seem to matter, since Limerick were playing so deep anyway. They were besieged at times, really struggling to clear the ball and hold it, showcasing a serious lack of composure.

But it was all so aimless and dour. Limerick seemed despondent and really out of sorts in the second half, miscontrolling, passing poorly, not making any opportunities worth talking about. Kluciar was played badly out of position on the right wing and struggled, and none of the subs were able to make much of an impact. From where I was standing the red card looked legitimate. Lunged in when he didn't have to. It was a dirty enough game, Kluciar got cleaned out around 10 minutes in not far from where I was standing and the ref did nothing.

Yes, Limerick are still top and yes Longford dropped points and yes we have a few easier games coming up and yes we should still go up. But I have no confidence in Scully at all. I'm sure some will jump up to defend him but I really think he has to go. He simply is not getting the most out of his squad, is playing people out of position and must take his fair share of blame in turning what should have been an easy enough run-in into a very hard slog. This Limerick team, playing with such a lack of verve and commitment, will get eaten alive if they make it to the top tier. I really think Scully has little future at this club, and I just wonder what it will take to see him relieved of his responsibilites. I suppose it seems strange to say that, but this squad should be so much better than this. Scully has had years to get them playing at a higher level and has had an easy division to do it in. He's not doing a good enough job.

The manager isn't doing his job to the full, but the players have to do some work themselves. They simply looked drained at times, directionless. I don't know how else to put it, except to say they simply don't seem to care enough.

Maybe we can convince Paul O'Brien to make the switch over. He's done great things, after such an awful start, with this Waterford team. Worthy winners, though I can't help but note it wasn't so much a great performance from them tonight, than a truly awful showing from Limerick.

[Minesapint]

[QUOTE=bluewhitearmy;1622352]Really id never have known.

It still doesn't stop the fact that dropping Bradely and playing a centre back on the wing are 2 unnecessary and stupid decisions.
I never said we wouldn't win but he has to stop with these stupid changes for changes sake.[/QUOT
I never said you said he wouldnt win the league slow down and read my post, scully is the manager after a poor result tonight we are still on top and i still think we will win the league, i could be mistaken but hes job is too get us promoted.

[Jofspring]

An incident summed up the lack of direction, confusion and responsibility in the squad and management.

Scully shouted at Ryan to give the ball the Shane. There was a man near Shane so the whole sideline were shouting no. Again he shouted louder to give it out to Shane. Ryan gave it Shane who was closed down by the player right beside him and his clearence was blocked down. Scully In turn ****ed Barry out of it for giving it Shane. Trying to blame players and not take any responsibility.

[Jofspring]

[QUOTE=bluewhitearmy;1622352]Really id never have known.

It still doesn't stop the fact that dropping Bradely and playing a centre back on the wing are 2 unnecessary and stupid decisions.
I never said we wouldn't win but he has to stop with these stupid changes for changes sake.[/QUOT
I never said you said he wouldnt win the league slow down and read my post, scully is the manager after a poor result tonight we are still on top and i still think we will win the league, i could be mistaken but hes job is too get us promoted.

His job is to make the right decisions and get us promoted. We are top only by the skin of our teeth an due to mistakes for other teams. If we ha the likes of Shels, cork and even Monaghan still in this division they would be out of sight by now.

I don't know about anyone else but I don't want it coming down to the last few games hoping for a bit of luck or relying on results elsewhere

[fieldofmarkets]

Loose to longford, win the other 4 and we still finish 1st. Of course that would still represent a pathetic performance on the season in this division. Playing that style of football reduces the game to a 50/50 lucky dip. Great if you have a poor team but nothing but stupid if you have what is considered the best squad in the division. Tactical genious. He will never go before the end of the season, just hope we get up by the skin of our teeth and find a good manager in the off season.

[thomas72]

Scully talking about the players holding there nerve its that clown that Is doing his best to cost us promotion with idiotic team choices its beyond belief that he picks a centre half on wing its mental again he is worrying more about other team than his owe what has he to do to get sacked everyone can see it bar the people who makes the decisions

AS for Jeff judge tackle a disgrace reckless which was one of 3 or 4 things that cost us points.

[harpin]

****e manager once again resulting in a ****e performance

[Jofspring]

According to Mike Ahern on Facebook the team have been locked into the dressing room for nearly an hour and half.

[NeverFeltBetter]

The Kluciar/right wing thing just baffles me though. He tried, god help him, but it just wasn't his position.

It was a really bad atmosphere in the place by the end. I know one person, an old time fan, whose stopped going to games because of that and the poor quality on display.

[NeverFeltBetter]

According to Mike Ahern on Facebook the team have been locked into the dressing room for nearly an hour and half.

Wonder if Scully is bollocking out the team, the team is bollocking out Scully or is Pat O'Sullivan bollocking out both?

[thomas72]

According to Mike Ahern on Facebook the team have been locked into the dressing room for nearly an hour and half.

SHould lock himself into hospital ward 5b

[bluewhitearmy]

Wonder if Scully is bollocking out the team, the team is bollocking out Scully or is Pat O'Sullivan bollocking out both?

Na seen Pat O S leave about 10 min after game.

All any manager would have to do with our squad is pick the right team and let them play Scully has no idea how to do that. We will be disgraced with him as manager if we get up.

[gael353]

Mirrow image of previous seasons under scully senior. Lost 17 of the 21 points against his main rivals Longford and Waterford. Totally unacceptable. 31 players at his disposal and he picks another (remember Corey played in harps on the right) center half on the right wing, obviously afraid of Frosty bombing forward ;( Next week he will do what he has done for the previous 3 seasons (this is his forth rem) and flood the team with Kids to save himself. Himself and the dog were afraid to walk off the pitch tonight

[da bishop]

it was hard work watching that tonight,very poor performance ,hardly a decent effort on goal,no pattern to our game,totally reliant on ..yawn...gaffeneys long throws to score,poor team spirit,no creativity...etc etc etc,ya we will still PROBABLY win the league but we are limping badly towards it with a squad and budget that should have won this league by now.got to say waterford played what football was played and dempsey and white were dominent and early second half signs suggested they were hungry for the win ,a great team effort from them.scully and his 7 assistents have some questions to answer though that will have to wait till seasons end.the choirs answer in the shed tonight wont solve it..kerley..have they short memories?

[abbeyvale]

Results
Fri 31/08/12
Wexford Youths 4 - 1 SD Galway
Athlone Town 1 - 1 Longford Town
Limerick 0 - 1 Waterford United
Mervue United 1 - 1 Finn Harps

Table
1 Limerick 23 50 (GD + 25)
2 Longford Town 23 47 (GD + 13)
3 Waterford United 23 46 (GD + 13)

Fixtures
Date Home Away Venue
7 Sep 2012 7:45pm Limerick v Mervue United Jackman Park
7 Sep 2012 7:45pm SD Galway v Waterford United Terryland Park
8 Sep 2012 7:30pm Longford Town v Wexford Youths Flancare Park
21 Sep 2012 7:45pm Waterford United v Longford Town Regional Sports Centre
21 Sep 2012 7:45pm SD Galway v Limerick Terryland Park
28 Sep 2012 7:45pm Limerick v Athlone Town Jackman Park
29 Sep 2012 7:30pm Longford Town v SD Galway Flancare Park
29 Sep 2012 7:45pm Finn Harps v Waterford United Finn Park
5 Oct 2012 7:45pm Waterford United v Mervue United Regional Sports Centre
6 Oct 2012 7:30pm Longford Town v Limerick Flancare Park
13 Oct 2012 7:45pm Athlone Town v Waterford United Lissywollen
13 Oct 2012 7:45pm Finn Harps v Longford Town Finn Park
13 Oct 2012 7:45pm Limerick v Wexford Youths Jackman Park


As it stands LFC still require a maximum of 12 points to win the league (GD is worth a point) and if Waterford and Longford draw against each other in a few weeks, LFC only require 10pts from their last remaining 5 games.....

[kingpin4]

For everyone having a moan about Gaffney's throw ins... You would be mental not to use them. You basically get a corner when your 25 to 30 yards from goal. The only thing that is criminal is that we don't score more from them. That surely must come from whoever organises the set pieces.

Some of the players look like they don't want to be there at all... They're just collecting their money every week and not bothered about the club.

The goal was absolutely shocking... For all of them to switch off like that and let them take a quick free kick is beyond belief.

Thought Barry Ryan was very good tonight, should have been more only for him.

Don't know what the story is with right wing, but I'm sure he's had a reason for playing a natural right full up there tonight. A few injuries to people maybe?

I put more blame of the players than the manager... I heard him telling themto stop going long. I heard Judge and Gamble telling the defenders to stop going long. When they drop in to get it, and it goes long instead. There's such a huge gap left between strikers and centre midfield that they've no chance of picking up any second balls, even when Foley or Gaffney win a header.
That's why Dempsey looks like a superstar every game against us.

[Minesapint]

SHould lock himself into hospital ward 5b
A bit personal

[Jofspring]

No kingpin there was no injuries tonight. Bradley, Judge, Cian Collins, O Brien and even O'Leary all can play on the wing or at least could start to accommodate the likes of brosnan to push out to the opposite wing. If we had a rake of injuries I'd understand him playing a rb/cb there but we don't. Felt bad for klucair being thrown out there. He worked hard but it's not his position. Frost was able to handle him handy enough.

Scully got a good bit of abuse after the game when going into the dressing rooms but I can almost understand it. Only so many times people will pay hard earned money to be served up crap and disappointment. There probably won't be a sinner at next weeks match. Nothing to convince them back, it's against mervue and it's clashing with a game in thomond park. The recipe for a 300 attendance max.

[blueblood]

truly terrible, terrible for 1st half it was wateford who were hunger and much more confident, i think the team are getting really fed up with Scully making stupid changes just when players are starting to settle into the team, we were lucky to get to half time scoreless. Same again 2nd half for first 15 but only after that we started playing, taught we played better with 10 men, Scully out

[kingpin4]

No kingpin there was no injuries tonight. Bradley, Judge, Cian Collins, O Brien and even O'Leary all can play on the wing.

Not what I overheard last night from 2 of the players...
Bradley was struggling with a thigh injury he's had for a few weeks
O'Brien is too much of a risk to start if you have to take him off after 20 mins
Cian is a striker who hasn't played since coming back from injury.
O'Leary is just back from injury
And Judge has done well in the middle so why would you move him?

Some people want the team to lose because they just want to see the back of Scully. If we went unbeaten for the whole season, the players would get all the credit... So with some of their poor performances this season, they should take the flak as well. Just because your "friends" with them on Facebook or something, it doesn't mean they should be excused in any way. Scully can't play the game for them. And if you're telling me that our players stick 100% to the tactics they are given and don't think for themselves, then that's a pretty poor representation of themselves.

[bluewhitearmy]

Not what I overheard last night from 2 of the players...
Bradley was struggling with a thigh injury he's had for a few weeks
O'Brien is too much of a risk to start if you have to take him off after 20 mins
Cian is a striker who hasn't played since coming back from injury.
O'Leary is just back from injury
And Judge has done well in the middle so why would you move him?

Some people want the team to lose because they just want to see the back of Scully. If we went unbeaten for the whole season, the players would get all the credit... So with some of their poor performances this season, they should take the flak as well. Just because your "friends" with them on Facebook or something, it doesn't mean they should be excused in any way. Scully can't play the game for them. And if you're telling me that our players stick 100% to the tactics they are given and don't think for themselves, then that's a pretty poor representation of themselves.


No he wasnt he is 100% fit.
O Brien is a risk worth taking if it means its not a centre back out there.
Cian not playing since he came back is a managerial choice so what is your point?
O'Leary is fully fit too thats is why he is back.
Jusge done well? In what games? Not any ive seen anyway Bradley is a much better player in the middle.

[gael353]

Some people want the team to lose because they just want to see the back of Scully.


yes its the players fault for losing all the big games for the last four seasons. James McGrath, Gary Sheehan, Rory Gaffney, Sean Kelly, Cory Tracy, Stephen Bradley, Garbhan Coughlan, Paudie Quinn, Sean Brosnan and now Robert Klucier have all played on the right wing for us this season in the league which is so poor that a team with the players such as limeick have (and they have 31 btw) no manager should be required to win it

[bluemovie]

What's happened to Paudie Quinn? I thought he looked a great little link player for ye last season. Has he lost form or is he a victim of the system - favouring knocking it up to big strikers?

[bluewhitearmy]

yes its the players fault for losing all the big games for the last four seasons. James McGrath, Gary Sheehan, Rory Gaffney, Sean Kelly, Cory Tracy, Stephen Bradley, Garbhan Coughlan, Paudie Quinn, Sean Brosnan and now Robert Klucier have all played on the right wing for us this season in the league which is so poor that a team with the players such as limeick have (and they have 31 btw) no manager should be required to win it


Ah James McGrath whos reward for a great start to his senior career was to be dropped.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Some people want the team to lose because they just want to see the back of Scully.

No one wants the team to lose. The manager has its faults and it is perfectly reasonable to call him on those faults after so many years of consistently poor performances in big games. If Limerick were 100% unbeaten the players and the manager would be getting praise, but they aren't. I've praised and defended them when they deserve it and the other way round too. But its undeniable that the general play this year has been less than what this team is capable.

Sure, the players have their part. Many of them look dispirited and unmotivated, like they don't seem to grasp the position they are in. Many have been disappointing in their general form this season.

But Scully is the manager. He is supposed to motivate, come up with effective tactics, have a training regime that improves players over time, competently pick a starting line up. He's in charge, or is supposed to be. There were better options than Kluciar to put on the right wing, but he went ahead and put him there. A center back on the right wing. And that's just one example of some his poor decision making.

[Jofspring]

Not what I overheard last night from 2 of the players...
Bradley was struggling with a thigh injury he's had for a few weeks
O'Brien is too much of a risk to start if you have to take him off after 20 mins
Cian is a striker who hasn't played since coming back from injury.
O'Leary is just back from injury
And Judge has done well in the middle so why would you move him?

Some people want the team to lose because they just want to see the back of Scully. If we went unbeaten for the whole season, the players would get all the credit... So with some of their poor performances this season, they should take the flak as well. Just because your "friends" with them on Facebook or something, it doesn't mean they should be excused in any way. Scully can't play the game for them. And if you're telling me that our players stick 100% to the tactics they are given and don't think for themselves, then that's a pretty poor representation of themselves.

The players definitely have to take some of the blame, especially for tuning out for waterfords goal, but when you step onto the field knowing some decisions made before hand are going to have a negative affect it usual materialises on the pitch.

Any time this season the team has started to look settled in a few games it has been switched around. Corie dropped for klucair for no reason, Brosnan and McGrath Dropped down in Waterford for no reason. Corie played right wing, klucair played right wing. Even last night the first sub had to be klucair off and either Bradley or O'Leary on but no the first thing he does is take off Brosnan. I'd move Judge out to the right because he has played that position a good few times and you had two excellent replacements on the bench. All came to all he could have brought o brien on for klucair and pushed brosnan onto the right wing. o'Leary has been our best midfielder all season and should have come on. He has been left out the last few so as not to rush him back but at some stage he had to come in, why not last night?

At the start of the season fans were crying out for certain changes to be made which Scully did and got the plaudits for it as it improved us immensely. He also has to take the criticism. I really don't understand how a record of 4 points out of a possible 21 against Waterford and Longford can be defended. We have beaten some of the weaker teams by the skin of our teeth. If that luck runs out against one of the weaker teams we are looking at a play off.

If this was scullys first season I would say fair enough we are being harsh but 3 and a half years later and the team has not improved at all football wise, the same mistakes made year after year. The fact we are top is just an indication of how poor this division is this year and that's no disrespects to Longford and Waterford cause even they will tell you their managers have been making some stupid decisions this year, decisions which have helped get us off the hook on many occasions.

I'm dreading the run in to be honest. If Waterford and Longford keep up the pace before we go up to Flancare the second last game of the season I think we will be under enormous, needless pressure. Waterford have great incentive now to really kick on for the remaining 5 games with nothing really to lose. We on the other hand can't afford a single mistake for the last 5 or we will be caught.

[Minesapint]

The players definitely have to take some of the blame, especially for tuning out for waterfords goal, but when you step onto the field knowing some decisions made before hand are going to have a negative affect it usual materialises on the pitch.

Any time this season the team has started to look settled in a few games it has been switched around. Corie dropped for klucair for no reason, Brosnan and McGrath Dropped down in Waterford for no reason. Corie played right wing, klucair played right wing. Even last night the first sub had to be klucair off and either Bradley or O'Leary on but no the first thing he does is take off Brosnan. I'd move Judge out to the right because he has played that position a good few times and you had two excellent replacements on the bench. All came to all he could have brought o brien on for klucair and pushed brosnan onto the right wing. o'Leary has been our best midfielder all season and should have come on. He has been left out the last few so as not to rush him back but at some stage he had to come in, why not last night?

At the start of the season fans were crying out for certain changes to be made which Scully did and got the plaudits for it as it improved us immensely. He also has to take the criticism. I really don't understand how a record of 4 points out of a possible 21 against Waterford and Longford can be defended. We have beaten some of the weaker teams by the skin of our teeth. If that luck runs out against one of the weaker teams we are looking at a play off.

If this was scullys first season I would say fair enough we are being harsh but 3 and a half years later and the team has not improved at all football wise, the same mistakes made year after year. The fact we are top is just an indication of how poor this division is this year and that's no disrespects to Longford and Waterford cause even they will tell you their managers have been making some stupid decisions this year, decisions which have helped get us off the hook on many occasions.

I'm dreading the run in to be honest. If Waterford and Longford keep up the pace before we go up to Flancare the second last game of the season I think we will be under enormous, needless pressure. Waterford have great incentive now to really kick on for the remaining 5 games with nothing really to lose. We on the other hand can't afford a single mistake for the last 5 or we will be caught.
I would say your post is accurate but i still think we will win the league, longford and waterford are not consistent enough to win the league.

[bluewhitearmy]

I would say your post is accurate but i still think we will win the league, longford and waterford are not consistent enough to win the league.

Just out of interest since you seem to like Scully in your opinion would we be better off with a new man in charge if we were to get up? If not would you trust Scully not to panic against the likes of Sligo,Rovers,Cork and the other big teams given his record in big games?

[ped_ped]

Just out of interest since you seem to like Scully in your opinion would we be better off with a new man in charge if we were to get up? If not would you trust Scully not to panic against the likes of Sligo,Rovers,Cork and the other big teams given his record in big games?

Sligo and Rovers wouldn't be big games if we were in the Prem, though.

Cork, Shels, Bohs, Dundalk would be. Which is worrying, because in the debut season we'd almost accept poor results against the top teams, but with Scully we'd bottle it against the middle-to-lower teams, too.

I myself liked Scully for quite a while but when you cycle through so many players and systems and two different owners only to retain the exact same on-field issues you can only blame the constant throughout it all.

And I'm not talking about Dave Ryan or Pat Purcell.