Fans Forum 01 May

[Piethagoram]

 

[Piethagoram]

One thing that did annoy me, was a question from the floor about the Jodi / John Bostock dynamics. It was ignored by SM

[Robbie]

One dissapointing aspect that came up at the forum.

Montague said that the toilets will be upgraded with up to 5 being upgraded at a time, so all the toilets in the ground may take several seasons to upgrade 

Would have thought the toilet upgrades would have been one of the priorities.

 

[Robbie]

 

[Robbie]

 

[Robbie]

 

[Robbie]

 

[Robbie]

 

[Robbie]

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Defence

Slowly transitioning to defending better.     No you need to start Defending Better straight away or Notts are going to be in a Relegation Battle.

Ethos

The Ethos won't change. Even if the Ethos is Wrong?

Championship Model.

The Model that Notts have/will have aim to get the Magpies into the Championship one day.

When?  In Five years time ? Ten Years Time? Set a Target and Aim for that target. What happens if the Model doesn't work? Will it be changed? 

Rules Restrict Number Of Overseas Players.

Good. It means Notts will have to look at bringing on their own Talent through the Academy.  instead  of the odd youth player getting a chance aim for three or four to bring on.

Wants to mix things Up.

Finally the Penny's dropped as it?  The Fans have been going on about this for the past season. We could see it why couldn't the Coaching Staff?

[Robbie]

If the penny has really dropped we need different types of players being recruited in our defence instead of players like Warner who wasn't really suited to the physicality of league 2.

We will soon know if they have learned the lesson or not when the first acquisition comes through the Notts door.

It's going to be fascinating to see how Notts are going to solve the need to be more physical, but in the same breath wanting to continue to play a short passing attractive game with nimble ball players.

If you ask me the style has to change somewhat.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

The Style has to change somewhat. Agreed. But will it be changed? Looking at the answers from the Fans Forum, It Appears Not.

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

Biggest disappointment from that fans forum is that the clipboard man wasn't there with his crazy ideas dressed up as questions.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

Agree. According to Maynard Notts have to deal with the physicality of League 2:, so he & the powers that be recognised the problem, but it doesn't seem to fit with their wanting to continue to play attractive open attacking football.

I think that's the paradox here.

 

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Do you think If Notts start to struggle and look in Danger of Being Relegated back into the National League, that the type of Football the Magpies now play isn't the right way play in League 2? It's Blood and Guts Football in League 2 and if it wasn't for the fact that Notts had a decent run at the start of last season then thanks to the Tippy Tappy Football that's played at the Lane it might have been the Magpies and Not Sutton back in the National League. It doesn't matter what percentage of the ball Notts have  during a game but Notts need to score more Goals than the Opposition. Why does it appear that is something the Coaching staff fail to Grasp?

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

I think the Coaching staff have recognised it, but does the Notts board? I'm not too sure about that.

Maynard talked about mixing it, so I suspect we will see a mixture of style and tactics at the start of next season.

Every side Notts play have to be treated differently depending on that side's strength and weaknesses. Notts cannot continue to play the same way as they did this season.

I think the first five league games plus the pre season friendlies will be crucial for Notts to just see what they have learned and if they are putting that knowledge into practice.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Robbie

If Stuart Maynard has recognised the problem is he his own man and will he be able and be strong enough to, enforce his own system even if it goes against the Boards wishes? Somehow I don't think so. This is where the Big Sam and Neil Warnock type of Manager would be a good fit, they could change things around and make the Board think it was their idea. Stuart Maynard doesn't have that experience, expect more of the same down the Lane next season.

You've stated Maynard as Talked about mixing it in the New Season, we will see because Action Speaks Louder Then Words. As you say preseason will be crucial for the Magpies, I also hope that James Sanderson Lucien Mahovo and Tiernan Brookes will feature a fair bit in those matches. I think we'll get a fair idea how Notts season will unfold after their first few League matches, as you have said. Sticking to the "Model" will in my opinion result in Midtable Mediocrity at Best and Relegation back to the National League at the worse. Because even signing better Defenders won't help if it's insisted the Magpies continue  the Tippy Tappy sideways then back to the Keeper type of Football, all that's going to happen is Teams will sit back and wait for mistakes to happen and they will and results will remain the same as this past season.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

I agree with the majority of what you say 

Stuart may be the quieter type, however, he's the Head Coach so the Board have to listen to him. I expect them to listen too him.

The Board have a long term plan, sometimes a long term plan has to be suspended short term to get those improved results.

As an example how sometimes a team has to change its style,  their 1st season back in PL, NFFC tried to play open football in the PL but were getting slaughtered. They changed their style to a more defensive, attritional type of football and they saved their bacon.

I'm not saying Notts should go that far, but some changes are required to compete & also to get the opposition guessing, & the board needs to recognise that total open football won't get you out of this league.

Mansfield, Stockport & Wrexham realised that 100% tippy tappy football doesn't work and "mixed" it up to get success 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

You would hope that the Board are aware mixing it up by now is the way for Notts to go.  Something else we fans will find out in Preseason and the first few games of 2024/2025.

[Robbie]

Important win for NFFC today, means that another win will make them safe.

Many Notts fans may not agree with me but, I'd prefer NFFC to remain in the PL.

That means the floating supporter and families may well  be attracted to Notts to watch exciting attractive football, if they are put off by the expensive match tickets over the river next season 

The season card prices across the river will be very expensive for next season too, so Notts season ticket prices will be very inviting.

The Nest will be opening soon so Notts can cash in with large crowds expected over the river next season, if Forest remain in the PL 

Every little helps when it comes to business 

 

[ARLukomski]

I'm fine with the ethos staying as it is because if you're constantly chopping and changing your ethos, you're never going to be settled and will never progress forward. Doing that got us into the National League in the first place.

Don't set a target for the amount of years to get to the Championship. Hardy did that and look what happened. Any owner who talks about "5 year plans" when they come into football, run for the hills

I'm fine with us bringing players from overseas. Our best player in the Reedtz Bros era has been Ruben Rodrigues. Alassana Jatta has started brilliantly. Yes I would like some more academy players to come through, but at the moment our academy is still developing to get better after our drop into non-league. It isn't La Masia. 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@ARLukomski

So your Happy with Notts kicking about in the Lower Leagues, having No Targets or Ambitions? No Notts fan has a fond memory of the Alan Hardy Era and his failure at the Lane, but just because he had a Target of getting Notts into the Championship within five years that idea is Now associated with Hardy doesn't mean anyone else with that ambition is wrong and things will end up at Notts has they did under Hardy if that time scale is adopted.

Plus lets look at the last Target at Notts, which was to get the Magpies back in the EFL. and all the Excitement it caused with the Fans. Notts so very nearly got back up at the first attempt, and who's to say they wouldn't have, if the Final hadn't had to have been played behind closed doors because of the Lergi. and Magpie Fans had been at Wembley to cheer the Lads on. The Magpies got to the playoffs in following seasons but lost out. But the Target was still there the Ambition still burned. Then a Certain Luke Williams arrived and the Magpies fought to the bitter end with Wrexham in the League title chase only to lose out. Semi Final Day Notts vs Boreham Wood. 2-0 down that's it over for another season, but No. The Players ambition and the Target of a Playoff Final at Wembley and the Magpies came from behind to win the game 3-2. An Amazing Day at Wembley followed. How Did You feel when Cedwyn Scott's penalty went in and Notts were back in the EFL ? 

There's nothing wrong with setting targets and the feeling of Joy by reaching them. The Target of this past season and all the Media Hype was Notts getting back to back Promotions, it Didn't happen and Fans feel let down But already the Target of Playoff or Automatic Promotion is being talked about for next season. There's Nothing Wrong With Setting Targets Nor achieving them in a certain time Period. How many years do you think Wrexham's owners have given the Club to reach the Premiership?

Finally overseas players Yes Ruben was one hell of a player, but look back over some of his past Notts interviews if you can find them and you'll se he was only using Notts as a Window to Showcase his Skills and soon as a better offer came off he went No Loyalty, compare him to Macca who wants to help Notts get into League 1. 

[ARLukomski]

@Wheelbarrow repair man 

Yep. I'm absolutely buzzing that we've finished 14th in League 2. In fact I got the champagne out after I got back from FGR, I was that thrilled. The Reedtz bros obviously have targets and ambitions and I'm glad that we do have those targets and ambitions, but they don't always make them targets public because, as we know, they don't love the limelight. The fans forum is probably the best place to talk about them.

No, that particular saying isn't associated with Hardy, but it depends on who says it and whether they have the right tools to carry it out. It is working for clubs such as Brighton, Brentford, Plymouth, Stockport etc. However it didn't work for clubs like Darlington, Forest Green, Salford, Fleetwood and Dagenham. You can't built sustainability and success on sand. You have to have an ethos and a way of working. An identity, a philosophy to work towards and that's what the successful clubs have. We have the right infrastructure to build from and it worked in getting us out of non-league. 

Chris and Alex said they wanted promotion from the National League, but it's not a guarantee due to circumstances out of their control. If you set the target, then don't reach it, then fans get annoyed. Then we wonder why did we come out and say we wanted to be in this league (let's say the Championship for example) in this many years time (let's say 5 years). Us fans would just be annoyed because we've been promised things that haven't materialised. 

Ruben said if Burchnall was still in charge and Williams didn't come in, he probably wouldn't have been at Notts in 2022/23. He could have gone a few times but stayed. If he had no loyalty, why was he with us for 3 seasons? 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@ARLukomski

Regarding Ruben as you have stated if Burchnall had still been in charge at the he probably wouldn't have been at Notts. It wasn't the fact that No other team were interested in him then? Luke Williams came in and we all know about LW.s Man Management skills so it was easy enough for him to convince the guy to stay. During Notts Promotion Push and Incredible day at Wembley was Ruben's best season in a Notts shirt but despite that and the Fact Luke Williams was still in charge as soon as the offer from Oxford came in it was bye Notts I'm off. He wasn't at Notts for 3 seasons out of Loyalty, he was at Notts because no other Club was interested in him and playing for the Magpies  gave him the Ideal window to display his Talents, until an offer came in from elsewhere. He was offered a New Contract  before the January Transfer window which he refused to sign, what Notts should have done is put him on the Transfer List in that Transfer Window, then   they may have gotten some money for him, instead of him leaving on  a Free.

[Robbie]

@Wheelbarrow repair man

@ARLukomski

Ruben left at the first good opportunity and so did Luke Williams.

The one thing I would say about Ruben is that he did stay long enough to watch us get promoted, and he scored a vital goal in the playoff final too.

However, Luke couldn't have left at a worse time, his timing was not the best, with Notts sliding down the league. I believe Luke undid a lot of the good he did for Notts by his leaving.

I think Luke Williams going may have been a big factor in Notts not getting to the playoffs with all the upheaval it caused. 

I say upheaval because Luke's Management style was totally different to what we have now with Stuart and I believe the players took time to adjust to it.

Unfortunately, there is hardly any loyalty in football nowadays, that's why I wouldn't be surprised if Macca, Jodi and Dan decided to leave if a good offer came in.

If they have to go, I hope that they won't leave until they have at least helped Notts to get promoted to league 1 first.