Was Alan Ball as bad as people remember?

M18CTID said:
There's some serious re-writing of history going on here - either that or some posters didn't watch any of our games between mid-December 1994 and mid-April 1995. Our football initially under Horton and in particular following the signings of Rosler, Walsh, and Beagrie was indeed entertaining and that carried on into the start of the 1994-95 season, but it was mainly at home where we played well as the away results were shocking. There was the 3-0 at home to West Ham, the 4-0 against Everton, and the famous 5-2 against Spurs which was a great advert for attacking football from both sides. When we won at Ipswich in early December 1994 I think we were 6th in the league but that was as good as it got because we then embarked on a prolonged downward spiral of form that saw us dragged into a relegation battle. It was only the back-to-back wins over the Easter weekend at home to Liverpool and away to eventual champions Blackburn (both great results of course) that saw us pull away from trouble but even with a couple of games to go there was an outside chance that we could be relegated. We eventually finished just 4 points clear of the drop zone. Horton was a decent bloke by and large and like many blues I backed him to the hilt when that wanker John Maddock decided to appoint him, but the way some go on you'd think he was the best manager in our history. He fucking wasn't and his CV before or since City hardly makes for spectacular reading.
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completely agree, does my head how much people always say we played great stuff under Horton...we played about 4 or 5 good attacking games that's it, the rest was a shambles. people seem to forget that as good as the 5-2 attacking display was against Spurs (with a mighty dose of luck thrown in) this same team then 2 weeks later got torn apart at united 5-0, in one of the most inept, weak embarrassing performances in a derby ever
 
flapjack said:
completely agree, does my head how much people always say we played great stuff under Horton...we played about 4 or 5 good attacking games that's it, the rest was a shambles. people seem to forget that as good as the 5-2 attacking display was against Spurs (with a mighty dose of luck thrown in) this same team then 2 weeks later got torn apart at united 5-0, in one of the most inept, weak embarrassing performances in a derby ever
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At least with Horton we had a manager who was dedicated to the club and had the respect of the players. Then end of the 93/94 season under Horton was good as was the start of 94/95 and I think we were top 8 at Christmas. Ball by comparison was arrogant, lazy and had no concept of how to set the team up.
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Could you be a bit more specific?
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Mr Lee made promises that he knew he would not fulfil.
He never had the finances to do so, he was never as wealthy as he made out, and his side kicks even less so.
Peter Swales HAD to be removed from the club, but the lies and false promises made by Lee to the supporters in his campaign to buy the club were never going to happen and were a disgrace with hindsight.
 
The day he arrived is unforgettable for me as my son was born i realized two things A It would be a long time before i was aware of a good nights kip and B Forward with Frannie was taking us down ABYSS ROAD
 
pace89 said:
At least with Horton we had a manager who was dedicated to the club and had the respect of the players. Then end of the 93/94 season under Horton was good as was the start of 94/95 and I think we were top 8 at Christmas. Ball by comparison was arrogant, lazy and had no concept of how to set the team up.
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The Kendall/Reid era was one of hit and miss form and a massive booze culture at the club. The Football was turgid but effective enough.

Horton followed Reid and did a good job given the fans were pretty outraged that such a nobody would be given the job. He gave the team much more identity and bought in some decent players (Rosler / Beagrie / Walsh) and got them playing well. Well enough that Franny didnt sack him when he took over even though he clearly had his own ideas.

Franny was always going to put his own man in sooner or latter and in 1994/5 we played decent football and were pretty safe but in 17th place, one spot down from 16th the year before. Although I think the Squad was getting better under Horton and the culture was improving.

Ball took over a decent squad - pissed off the players and the 2 wingers attacking style disappeared. Defo a step backwards from where we were although unlucky to go down.
 
Worst manager ever
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He was manager when I first started following City although I never went to a match under his tenure. Joe Royle started it for me live. Ball was certainly the worst I know of. I understand England won the World Cup in 1966 (they never mention it) so it's interesting it sullies his legacy as a football man.

You can't really include Coppell because they weren't there for long enough to judge.
 
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