Daily Mail Article (Pep allegedly wants improved atmosphere)

[dadnlad]

is it derby week or they started early like the leavers get earlier and earlier each game

 

[I.bleed.blue]

This. We are a club based strongly on community. If the suits want to come in and take seats only to break a smile and a clap, that is part of the problem.

Our atmosphere has always been great for the most part. We always start strong. It is what is displayed on the pitch that sustains the atmosphere.

We can make do with not leaving early though. Happens all the time, partly because of what is on show and partly because of the exits from the ground. The tram needs to be upgraded. The bus system has been improved but I have a feeling those who are leaving early are driving anyway so it's the traffic coming out from the ground. Would be great to have a few more areas to park cars. I walk to and from the ground for years so I'm just assuming the exit route is the issue.

I don't get the early leaving at all. I know from regulars around the ground that there are serial early leavers on 75-80 minute mark, irrespective of score, opponent or competition. Difficult to break that weird mind-set. I park 10 mins from stadium and it's a pretty easy getaway. But anyway I will always stay till the end to support my team and club. Rude and pathetic not to. In my view.

 

[City_Sean]

I don't think the atmosphere has been that bad. The bigger issue is people leaving early.

 

[The Northern Baptist]

I kinda get people who have big distances to travel wanting to leave early to beat the queues. But I know lads living in places like wythenshawe and cheadle leaving on 80mims to get home quicker. That's the mindset that needs changing.

 

[gray740]

Me i leave because i pay the direct debit every month aand if i choose to leave 5mins earlier then i will.

Safe standing is still a way off in the Prem I suspect. But even if it comes in I can't imagine them having a second tier as standing let alone a third tier. Plus would it stop people fucking off on 80 mins anyway? I don't leave early so I don't know what would make those people stay till the end. Maybe some regular early leavers can tell us what would make them bother to stay to the end?

 

[Lancet Fluke]

obviously the exciting football helped. but having 50 people at the front singing all game contributed imo, as it meant a constant noise, especially before the goals and it allowed other fans to join in and songs to spread easier.

I'm certainly not knocking fans for trying and of course every little helps but all these ideas about singing sections, move the away fans, sort the traffic etc etc are all going to be relatively insignificant IMO as long as people are not enthused by what is happening on the pitch. The reality is that for getting on for three years now the majority can't have been enthused. All of those three seasons have seen us play some scintillating stuff on occasion but mixed in with a lot of pretty ordinary stuff. As others have said, you look around and there are plenty arsing around on their phones throughout the match and the stadium is half empty with five mins to go quite often. That for me is a reflection that lots of fans are underwhelmed by what they are watching, I really do believe it is as simple as that. Not so many looking at their phones in that second half v Monaco or second half v Barca or second half v Arsenal, nowhere near as many leaving early and atmosphere decent on each occasion. It may indicate that we have become a fairly fickle fan base but I do think if we generally play high tempo, winning football and are genuinely challenging for the title then the atmosphere will change noticeably. I will probably get slated for saying this but fuck it - I have spent a fair amount of the last three years watching us mostly thinking, "we should be so much better than this" and at times going to the matches has felt like a chore to me which isn't exactly a recipe for boundless enthusiasm. I may be wrong but I sense the same kind of feeling amongst a fair amount of the support at matches. Personally I never leave early but I do find myself being fairly quiet at matches and I know it makes no sense because I was there in the very bad days singing my heart out like many others who presumably are also currently being similarly quiet.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Me i leave because i pay the direct debit every month aand if i choose to leave 5mins earlier then i will.

Cool.

 

[red 2 hats]

No quotes from Pep, f*ck all. Just the Mail understands that he's un-happy with the atmosphere and the challenge of the bigger clubs.

If you ask me, I might be wrong, huge sigh, I think they might be trying to de stabilise us this week, don't no why, could it be we've got two of their darlings in say a cup semi final and a local derby.

City fans can see what's happening, but the lemmings suck it in and use it as ammo, as Thursday approaches the stories will get more absurd, hope the team reads some of the shit and motivates them to maul the red scum,

 

[cheddar404]

The soul disappeared from top flight football in this country years ago. He should have stayed in Germany if he wanted that. We try our best to keep it going but it's gone. We need the arse to fall out of it again to remember what supporting a football club is about. Either that or cheap tickets and terracing back.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

No quotes from Pep, f*ck all. Just the Mail understands that he's un-happy with the atmosphere and the challenge of the bigger clubs.

If you ask me, I might be wrong, huge sigh, I think they might be trying to de stabilise us this week, don't no why, could it be we've got two of their darlings in say a cup semi final and a local derby.

City fans can see what's happening, but the lemmings suck it in and use it as ammo, as Thursday approaches the stories will get more absurd, hope the team reads some of the shit and motivates them to maul the red scum,

You're probably right but Pep has mentioned it before in press conferences so whether this article is bollocks that has been timed to coincide with the derby or not, I would be surprised if it isn't something Pep wants to get sorted.