mostonbluemark said:Prestwich_Blue said:So the players had nothing to do with winning the FA Cup and the League? Well maybe those players think that the manager is a hindrance rather than a help. Maybe they're sick to the back teeth of his methods and the fact he never talks to them and drops players who are playing well while having his favourites in the team week after week when they don't justify it.mostonbluemark said:But are some of you seriously of the view that the players downed tools against a manager who has won us the FA Cup and Premier League?
PB, i have the utmost respect for you as a poster. Enjoy reading the vast majority of your posts as being informative, concise and balanced. So i'm surprised that you have come to the view that the players chose not to play for him. The same players didn't have that issue last season did they? Saturday was disappointing, i was as sick as anyone else at what happened. But put it into perspective, it was our third defeat of the season. Theres no doubt we have struggled this season trying to defend the title, i include the manager in that as well, but to suggest its a relationship issue between the manager and the players doesn't hold any water.
As bizarre as it may seem , footballers are human beings and they can react to circumstances in ways you wouldn't think professional footballers would even in situations when the stakes are quite high.
No doubt just as footballers have been on the take , still are on the take , sometimes they voice there frustration to situations by throwing in the towel the easiest way they know how.
In our case it may or may not have anything to do with management but can you honestly say that nobody you know or a group of workers you know that feel like they are being hard done by have never downed tools either in an organised strike action or a stop work meeting while still at work or a deliberate action at work to demonstrate their disapproval at some decision made by hierarchy to sabotage the threw put or production of the day.
Why should a group of footballers be any different?
Yes if true its unprofessional , cheating the supporters , a childish response if you may but footballers and management often have arm wrestles in the politics of the club and sometimes if players feel aggrieved enough they will do what they think is necessary on match day to prove a point.
As many have said if in particular the senior , longstanding players lose the respect of the manager the manager is in strife and history is littered with examples of it.
So no I am not saying it as fact because I do not know but I have been around the block a few times to know that what I saw on Saturday was much more than City having an off day or a bad day at the office or bottling it as some have said.
Maybe the next two games may enlighten us a little more time will tell.