Matthews Out

**Martinho II** · 22/04/2005, 11:33 AM

tbh lads this malarkey of matthews out is a bit extreme. All that needs changing is the tactics and get back to basicsin coaching. The amount of times the ball was kicked out of play or the ball was miscontrolled was unbeleiveable. And as for that waster Baker he makes my blood boil sometimes!

why did matthews take off andy myler first instead of baker? the only difference between the two sides last night was the two goals. We should not have allowed the ball to pass over our heads to allow Jason Byrne to score. As for Dillo, i believe that is the second time this season that we have let a goal from a a slip by the defender. Please god they wont show the game on tv3

**Longfordian** · 22/04/2005, 11:39 AM

Alan Mathews went absolutely ballistic after and during the game because they wouldn't do as they were told which was try and keep it on the ground. To say his tactics were send them out and knock long balls into the strikers is ridiculous, the problem is we have players who when under pressure tend to resort to knocking it way too long, particularly Digger and Barry, both of whom he was furious with post game.

The Bray game particularly second half and the games against Rovers and Linfield in parts is how Alan Mathews wants our team to play. As for Eric his mouth will get him into big trouble, does he seriously think his mouthing isn't going straight back to Alan Mathews, even from other players. He's incredibly childish and would want to sort himself out. Maybe if he wasn't twenty yards behind everyone else in training and turned up on time for matches he may have more of a chance.

He was at the same craic last year and was lucky he wasn't sacked for playing in five a side competitions in Galway when he was supposed to be training with us. Alan Mathews specifically requested he not be sacked. I like Eric as a person but his attitude when he doesn't get his own way is a major problem. His best days are over and he'd want to realise that and try and get himself into proper shape or come the end of this season he's going to be an unemployed ex-footballer. Gates have never come close to covering players' wages and it says a lot for those on the committee that we've never missed a week's wages in seven years.

**franz** · 22/04/2005, 12:07 PM

Avril's Gaelic skills are getting better. A nice long ball was sent down the middle of the park last night and out from the crowd of blue jumps avril higher than the shells monster and catches the ball and nearly solo's the ball. If she gets her marching orders there are some small Gaelic clubs around longford looking for full forwards with a good scoring record. Who need to be fit when a man can fly.... blood...

**Sonic** · 22/04/2005, 1:20 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

Alan Mathews went absolutely ballistic after and during the game because they wouldn't do as they were told which was try and keep it on the ground. To say his tactics were send them out and knock long balls into the strikers is ridiculous, the problem is we have players who when under pressure tend to resort to knocking it way too long, particularly Digger and Barry, both of whom he was furious with post game.

The Bray game particularly second half and the games against Rovers and Linfield in parts is how Alan Mathews wants our team to play. As for Eric his mouth will get him into big trouble, does he seriously think his mouthing isn't going straight back to Alan Mathews, even from other players. He's incredibly childish and would want to sort himself out. Maybe if he wasn't twenty yards behind everyone else in training and turned up on time for matches he may have more of a chance.

He was at the same craic last year and was lucky he wasn't sacked for playing in five a side competitions in Galway when he was supposed to be training with us. Alan Mathews specifically requested he not be sacked. I like Eric as a person but his attitude when he doesn't get his own way is a major problem. His best days are over and he'd want to realise that and try and get himself into proper shape or come the end of this season he's going to be an unemployed ex-footballer. Gates have never come close to covering players' wages and it says a lot for those on the committee that we've never missed a week's wages in seven years.

i believe you are talking shi*t tbh. if that is the case why not tell them during the game instead of leaning against the railings/dugouts etc.

**Sonic** · 22/04/2005, 1:28 PM

Originally Posted by franz

Avril's Gaelic skills are getting better. A nice long ball was sent down the middle of the park last night and out from the crowd of blue jumps avril higher than the shells monster and catches the ball and nearly solo's the ball. If she gets her marching orders there are some small Gaelic clubs around longford looking for full forwards with a good scoring record. Who need to be fit when a man can fly.... blood...

you guys really dont have a clue about football.andy myler and dessie bakers performances collectively last night were an absolute disgrace yet wheneric lavine comes on and actually looks like a threatyou come here and talk about one mistake he made.Lads lets face you are brain deadpeople who just cant admit matthews might actually be wrong.god forbid lavine might try to adjust his his body position to control th ball franz.........

last niote he was one out of only 2 to come out with any credit(Fitzgerald and kirby(although not a fan of his tried).

**Longfordian** · 22/04/2005, 1:29 PM

Believe what you like I honestly don't care.

**Ronnie** · 22/04/2005, 1:35 PM

Sonic, how is Matthews wrong? Wrong about what?

**Wiseguy** · 22/04/2005, 2:28 PM

There are a lot of people on this forum who talk incredible crap and i believe that Longfordian is not one of them.He is spot on about what Matthews says to the players.I have spent enough time close to the dug out to hear what instructions he shouts out to the players and the one he persists with most is " keep the ball on the ground and pass it ".The problem is that it's the same old culprits who persist in humping it whenever there is a bit of pressure coming on.The thing is that if one of these guys tries to play it out and gets caught resulting in a goal they are gonna get abuse from all quaters and the first thing that will be said is "why didn't you get rid of it?"I still don't think that our balance is right in midfield.Davy Byrne deserves a run in the middle and Barrett is lost on the left so he needs to move up front with Myler and prunty needs to go left side with dessie hitting the bench.
As for Eric Lavine,i am a fan of his but it would suit him better to pull up his socks and put the effort in to his game than whinging about Matthews.Alan has given him lots of chances and with Myler not firing on all cylinders maybe a chance will arise for him.

**De Town** · 22/04/2005, 2:38 PM

Lads, I wasnt at the game so cant talk about the performance etc. I have spoken to a few people who were there and said that we made 2 silly mistakes which caused 2 goals and that Shels werent that much better than us.

But, look at it this way, we have lost 4 games in the league this season, 3 of which were to 3 of the early season title contenders, Cork, Derry and Shels, and by all accounts we were unlucky not to have got something out of all of those games. The other 1 we lost, Waterford,who I would consider to be in "our" group of teams in the league with the likes of Pats, we were crap on the night and let Reynolds bully the ref. We have beaten the 2 teams you would expect to beat. We have had a very tough start, with 3 possible title contenders, 2 teams who got off to great starts (Waterford and Bray) and a crap Rovers side.

I personally think its a bit early to be calling for Matthews head.

**franz** · 22/04/2005, 2:55 PM

Sonic
what was the first thing avril did when she came on the pitch?........................................gave away a free
and then she spent the rest of the night prancing and dancing
Watch out for myler he's going to be good for that team. He's just setteling in and he has a football brain

**Xlex** · 22/04/2005, 4:49 PM

Well goals win games. We made two awful mistakes. Paisley must have figured the ball was dead. A top rate strike from Jason Byrne.

Dan O'Connor beaten for pace by Jason Byrne and Richie Baker slips past Dillo and Barry Slips at the near post for Baker to beat Digger from 6 yards.

We had a decent half chance when Baker played a ball across the Shels defence to Barrett, who could either have taken a first time shot or had a better touch to leave himself with a better chance. Fluffed oppertunity.

John Martin was played in for a similar opportunity and Williams got down and helped it out. No conviction in the shot.

Kirby had a glancing header saved by Willaims. Second half flurry of corners all decent chances and Williams did the job.

Williams had to be man of the match. We played poor. Shels sat back and we couldn't unopen them. I thought our wingers weren't wide enough and both full-backs lacked pace. Some awful touches. Hard to be over critical at the same time I don't really think we had much choice at times with the hoofing we were really closed down.

Avrils appearance wasn't up to much. Really felt Davy Byrne could have had a run. John Martin wasn't great his touch was poor. Bring on the enlargement of this pitch.

**Maz** · 22/04/2005, 6:37 PM

These crap threads are a bloody ritual at the start of each season. If its not "Section O to the Stand NOW" its "Matthews out NOW" ffs yet most people who spend their time giving out are the ones that dont let go of cups when won and are so far up players/management rears telling everyone how great they are.

Its been a bad start and infairness cant get much worse, the most sickening aspect is, we play bad and win games people are praising them saying how great they are, we play decent against others and are beaten, then the team is crap.

**the 12 th man** · 22/04/2005, 7:18 PM

Originally Posted by Sonic

you guys really dont have a clue about football.andy myler and dessie bakers performances collectively last night were an absolute disgrace yet wheneric lavine comes on and actually looks like a threatyou come here and talk about one mistake he made.Lads lets face you are brain deadpeople who just cant admit matthews might actually be wrong.god forbid lavine might try to adjust his his body position to control th ball franz.........

last niote he was one out of only 2 to come out with any credit(Fitzgerald and kirby(although not a fan of his tried).

this post is whats known as "standing outside the tent and pi**ing in".

look,alan matthews is not going to instruct his players to punt the ball when he knows that by keeping it on the deck we can compete with anybody out there.

the real world is different from the clipboard in the dressing room where the manager points out where he would like the game to be played.obviously things did'nt go to plan against shels but i think alans input has only been positive.to think that he would advocate the long ball after all thats transpired in the last couple of years is really naive of anyone.

we're all frustrated by the lack of consistency but hey its still early days yet.

**Sonic** · 22/04/2005, 8:10 PM

Originally Posted by franz

Sonic
what was the first thing avril did when she came on the pitch?........................................gave away a free
and then she spent the rest of the night prancing and dancing
Watch out for myler he's going to be good for that team. He's just setteling in and he has a football brain

if that is going to be your ludicrous arguement wat the hell did myler do all nite.sod all is what.i had my reservations about myler when we origionally signed him,i did say id give him a chance but what i have seen so far does not auger confidence.

to answer your earlier question what has matthews done wrong(answers below)

1 persist with the long-ball tactics even though its cleary not working and its driving people away from the turnstiles rather than encourage people to come along.

2 leave a GREAT player like lavine on the bench

3 I dont mean to be unfair but he has signed some donkeys this close season.cronin looks no better than perth or keogh or even darragh

.myler is crap.danny o connor is doing ok and is way better than alan murphy although that wouldnt be hard(good defender but once he gets forward he is very wasteful)

4 putting possibly the biggest talent we have on the left wing instead of his best position up front(barrett of course)

5 the man persists on playing dessie baker who has about as much commitment to longfiord town as gerry adams has on the peace process

i could go on but ill leave it there

**Dillo** · 22/04/2005, 9:38 PM

i could go on but ill leave it there[/QUOTE]

Don't bother going on Sonic! Quit the nonsense about Mattthews out. Who do you want to replace him so?!

A couple of good points there... for a change. Andy Myler has a good footballing brain though and given time he will prove a good addition to the squad. When Dessie was substituted he kicked the bench in frustration. Why did he do this? Is he just the headcase many claim he is, was he disappointed with his own/team performance or does he lack commitment to the LTFC cause?? I don't know, but Dessie Baker is quality and when in the right frame of mind he can do wonderful things on the pitch. Shane Barrett is being played out of position, I agree. I would also like to see more of Lavine but we can only pot eleven on the pitch. Cronin looks a poor signing while question marks still hang over Danny O' Connor in my view. Watching the hoofing/hit and hope tactic is depressing and it's not how football should be played. When we keep the ball on the deck as we did for long periods against Linfield we are a match for any LOI side.
Lets pray to God we beat Glentoran on monday night. It's crucial we do so. This, I feel will be our only chance of reaching a cup final this year. I hope I'm wrong however!

**Sonic** · 23/04/2005, 2:58 PM

Originally Posted by Dillo

Who do you want to replace him so?

Pat dolan is the obvious candidate.loves longford longford loves him big man,big character and a big heart.none of this "oh a point will do" s*it with him.He is straight talking and to the point.More importantly he is a good manager who plays an attractive attacking game that we all crave.

**Enda M** · 23/04/2005, 3:00 PM

Have to agree with ya sonic some of matthews tactics and team selection have been bizarre to say the least

**De Town** · 23/04/2005, 4:19 PM

Originally Posted by Sonic

Pat dolan is the obvious candidate.loves longford longford loves him big man,big character and a big heart.none of this "oh a point will do" s*it with him.He is straight talking and to the point.More importantly he is a good manager who plays an attractive attacking game that we all crave.

Pat Dolan is the man ya want if ya want to bankrupt the fcuking club