So whose fault is it really?

[Aingarth]

Very sadly, barring some sort of miracle, our club is heading towards the third tier of English football yet again.

Having lived though the 1970s I believed that we would never let it happen again. But it did, in the 2000s. After that great day at Cardiff, when most of us went to hell and back before the final score, I was convinced that the club would never let it happen a third time.

On this site, there have been posts pointing the finger at most people - the players, previous managers, the current manager, previous chairmen and previous boards. Our current Chairman seems to be immune from this criticism although, if I read his comments on this site correctly, it would appear that its all our fault.

As I see it, the current position is this:-

• A poor team with many players performing well below their capability, in many cases much worse than last year.
• Manager turnover stabilised - following the sacking of Paul Sturrock, we have had Brian Laws for over 3 years, some of them quite good, then Alan Irvine
• Style of play has become very much long ball, % football, limited passing
• Much hype about improvements off the pitch, but limited evidence. For most supporters, the experience is little changed from the 1970s in terms of entry, food, toilets etc.
• Dave Allen - much castigated for his treatment of fans even though he did put his own money in, stepped down as Chairman and director
• 12 months with no Chairman
• New Chairman for 15 months - making it 'our club', but without money of his own to invest and currently not even a shareholder.
• Efforts to get crowd average above 25,000 and season ticket holders towards 18,000, so far very limited success
• Proposal to bring ground to 44,000 capacity for world cup, making it a learning centre and reverse sponshorship of shirts by Children's hospital
• Much anticipated financial investment still not happened even after more than 2 years of speculation
• Relegation looms
  So I think it really is time that we pointed that finger where it is deserved - who do you think it most to blame?

Edited April 21, 2010 by Andrew Robinson

[Owl.1867]

Well seeing as you seem to have made up your mind, why don't you tell us all who is to blame? And when anyone disagrees just ignore them?

[Guest Deleted member]

• 
  So I think it really is time that we pointed that finger where it is deserved - who do you think it most to blame?

Personally I believe you should look no further than Cooke/Hulley/Grierson.

Too early to judge Lee and Nick - though Lee MUST stop blaming fans for our position. Too early to judge Alan Irvine - though he has to stop being so bloody negative ALL the time.

The state of our club right now can only be blamed on the 3 guys who have been directors for 20 years (Cooke less admittedly)

[Aingarth]

Well seeing as you seem to have made up your mind, why don't you tell us all who is to blame? And when anyone disagrees just ignore them?

As I understand it, it is all our fault.

[Tea Baggins]

1] We sacked Laws 5 games too late - Small point but valid.

2] Hired Irvine who needs time but has inherited a wreched squad (both in talent and attitude)

3] All this investment hope created false hope - things one of Lee Straffords major failures.

Thats just 3 but I can't be arsed writing them all down.

[RobHowe]

Personally I believe you should look no further than Cooke/Hulley/Grierson.

....and a certain Dave Richards. :wink:

[Guest Anglofile]

As I understand it, it is all our fault.

Isn't there ample time after the final whistle blows at home against Palace to ascribe blame.

I'm sure there will be hundreds of pages of opinions, data etc. following the match.

Joe

[DJMortimer]

Our current position is the culmination of loads of different factors in varying degrees. For a start, you've missed some off your initial list that date back to the stewardship of Dave Richards which are still having an impact.

It's nonsense to suggest that the whole shambles can be traced back to one or two events or individuals.

[Wednesday-Wonderland]

60% players 40% BL.

In regards to BL being sacked 5 games too late, that's called hindsight. LS would have been battered from all angles for being a knee-jerk chairman if he'd sacked him 5 games earlier.

[gurujuan]

Especially as our average gate will not be far off what the chairman was looking for. Under his stewardship the club is a complete shambles on the field, first team, reserves and academy. Where is our challenge for a top ten place? Where is the exciting attacking football? Where the investment? Have and will we hold on to our better players if we are relegated?

[markowl]

Dave Allen - much castigated for his treatment of fans even though he did put his own money in

Do we really have to have this old horse poo poo trotted out all the time?

[DJMortimer]

2] Hired Irvine who needs time but has inherited a wreched squad (both in talent and attitude)

Other managers in the last few years have inherited similar circumstances and done rather better with them (Shreeves, Yorath, Sturrock and Laws). Given the relative abundance of such examples at just one club in a fairly brief period, I'd say there's plenty of scope for criticising the current manager.

[Doctor Duran]

For this season.. the players for not playing to their full capabilities week in week out. Also the management for not making the necessary changes when possible.

Off the pitch.. Investment.. we as joe bloggs fans.. who really knows the ins / outs of the financial aspects of what is stopping the club from being a investable vessel..

Certainley not the lack of crowds or the potential support base, the facilities and the long history of our club, potential world cup stadium. I don't feel you can blame LS / NP they have got or appear to have got

interest / teams of people working on this side of things..

Don't think you can blame LS for not personnally funding the club or having shares.. don't see this as being a given requirement for being a chairman myself..

The lack of success on the pitch has highlighted the "investment / commerical / commerce" side of the club to come under much more scrutiny than it should.. If we was challenging in the top 6

(as many thought we could do at the beginning) then nobody would really give two hoots about that side of things.. why the club did not invest in the team a little more heavier in January and in the following loan periods when we clearly needed the impetus has proved to be a major error and will undoubtly have an impact on our fate come whatever.. Many cried out for another striker - we ended up with a midfielder in Soares who has barely played.. bad management and lack of investment short term into the team.

This is what has messed up our season..

[Max]

Isn't there ample time after the final whistle blows at home against Palace to ascribe blame.

I'm sure there will be hundreds of pages of opinions, data etc. following the match.

Joe

My thoughts exactly.

Let's save the inquest for May 3rd, eh?

We're not dead yet.

[Aingarth]

Isn't there ample time after the final whistle blows at home against Palace to ascribe blame.

I'm sure there will be hundreds of pages of opinions, data etc. following the match.

Joe

If we stay up, there is still a real need for a root and branch drains-up of what has happened and what should be done.

I agree that the blame can be attributed to a lot of people, past and present - and this includes the current board who have not had their eye sufficiently on what's been happening on the pitch. Laws started the season with most supporters behind him and trying to play good football. The Richard Woods, Darren Purse, Tommy Spurr, Marcus Tudgay affair was the defining moment for me. That is where it all went wrong and we do not have much information on what really happened.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Andrew Robinson

[Guest intercity0wl]

Especially as our average gate will not be far off what the chairman was looking for. Under his stewardship the club is a complete shambles on the field, first team, reserves and academy. Where is our challenge for a top ten place? Where is the exciting attacking football? Where the investment? Have and will we hold on to our better players if we are relegated?

Better players ?

[Sonny]

if I read his comments on this site correctly, it would appear that its all our fault.

As I understand it, it is all our fault.

Which comments are these then?

[mcmigo]

We believe a change at this time can deliver fresh energy and direction," said chairman Lee Strafford.

Assistant manager Russ Wilcox and development coach John Dungworth have also left the club.

McAuley previously served as caretaker manager between October and November 2006 following the departure of Paul Sturrock and the arrival of Laws.

"Brian Laws has done a very good job at Sheffield Wednesday in the light of the low level of resources at his disposal in the first two years of his time with the club," added Strafford.

"A very positive legacy has been left by Brian in terms of the quality of the playing squad we now have at Sheffield Wednesday.

"We will now focus our attentions on getting the right manager to help the team push up the league in the short term and make us competitive for a return to the Premier League in the long term.

"Brian has put in an immense amount of work as manager and he should be remembered for some genuine achievements on the pitch and for stabilising Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship."

The Wednesday chairman, who has ambitious plans for the club, has already made it clear he will take his time in appointing a new manager.

"We will not rush into the next permanent appointment as this will be a key appointment in terms of determining the long-term future of our club," he said.

So much of the above statement has not turned out as planned. The legacy of playing staff left by Brian was a bunch of demotivated, underperforming players. The remit of getting the right manager to 'push us up the league in the short term' has failed - we have advanced a total of 0 places since Laws was sacked. The only thing we have left to cling to is that Alan Irvine is the right manager to 'make us competitive for a return to the Premier League in the long term'. That challenge is now looking very much long term if/when we drop.

I am personally prepared to take some pain short term - I am prepared to drop to League 1 and I am prepared to see us get beat by the Yeovils and Rochdales of this world if we are on track for the long term vision of Premiership football. I need the Chairman to say how we get there in 5 years, from League 1, and put his neck on the line if we fail.

[Aingarth]

Which comments are these then?

LS has made dozens of comments on this site slating supporters, stay-away supporters, season ticket holders who do not get their friends to buy season tickets etc.

But you know that, you're trying to wind me up!

[Max]

LS has made dozens of comments on this site slating supporters, stay-away supporters, season ticket holders who do not get their friends to buy season tickets etc.

But you know that, you're trying to wind me up!

When has he ever blamed supporters for the club's position?

Or are you just reading what you want to read?