So whose fault is it really?

[Aingarth]

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.

It's OK if you are young but some of us who having being going to Hillsborough in excess of 50 years may never see top tier football again before we shuffle off this earth. I can't see how, in any strategy, getting relegated to the third tier can be a positive way to long term football in the Premier League. Now getting relegated from the Premier League to the second tier, with the parachute payments, is a diffent scenario and has worked for a number of clubs who have got back to the Poremier League.

[Sonny]

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!

No I'm not.

But I'm am accusing you of paranoia bordering on delusion.

[Aingarth]

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

Or are you just reading what you want to read?

I am sure LS will comment himself. He has made it clear that, without outside investors, then our future is in our own hands. That investment in the team can only be based on gate receipts and he has criticised quite frequently here , on this site, in English, the fact that there are stay away supporters, supporters who do not bring their mates, season ticket holders who should encourage others to come to the match and to buy their own season tickets. That would bring more money, hence team building hence a better team. Don't tell me that you have missed all this too?

[Aingarth]

No I'm not.

But I'm am accusing you of paranoia bordering on delusion.

So have you missed all these comments or are you translating them differently. I'm not paranoid to read what is written.

[Max]

I am sure LS will comment himself. He has made it clear that, without outside investors, then our future is in our own hands. That investment in the team can only be based on gate receipts and he has criticised quite frequently here , on this site, in English, the fact that there are stay away supporters, supporters who do not bring their mates, season ticket holders who should encourage others to come to the match and to buy their own season tickets. That would bring more money, hence team building hence a better team. Don't tell me that you have missed all this too?

Where has he blamed supporters for our position? It's a simple question.

Stating that there would be more money available with more fans in the ground isn't blaming anyone, is pointing out a well known fact.

I think Sonny's on the money here. Paranoia and delusion.

[gabbywokingowl]

As usual it's a combination of factors but if we go down, I don't think that LS can escape some of the blame. While there has been good progress off the field, there has not been enough focus on the playing side from the top

1) As mentioned earlier in the thread, Laws was sacked much too late - it was quite clear to most of us that we were in a tailspin well before then.

2) We waited too long to appoint a new manager - we should have focused on getting a new manager straightaway rather than chase the shadows of investment at the time

3) we should have got a quality central midfield player and ideally another forward on loan for the last 3 months - ok we have no money but think of it as a £100-£150K insurance policy against a £3 million drop in annual revenue that will result from relegation

[gurujuan]

Hmm do I have the stomach for yet another 5 year plan

[Tyto Alba]

At the start of the season......who would have said 'this squad of players in not capable of staying in this division' who would have said, 'the wage budget is not big enough to keep us in this division'

They have simply underperformed.

[mcmigo]

It's OK if you are young but some of us who having being going to Hillsborough in excess of 50 years may never see top tier football again before we shuffle off this earth. I can't see how, in any strategy, getting relegated to the third tier can be a positive way to long term football in the Premier League. Now getting relegated from the Premier League to the second tier, with the parachute payments, is a diffent scenario and has worked for a number of clubs who have got back to the Poremier League.

There is nothing positive about relegation to League 1, my only concession is that I won't be spending my summer inflating black balloons providing that there is a convincing and REALISTIC plan to deliver us to the Premiership in 5 years, and that plan needs to be radically different to the last one. It needs to involve slashing the first team costs substantially yet retaining a core of young players with potential who we can develop and grow with, or sell for profit, a total restructuring of scouting domestically and internationally, some brave decisions and action to address the poverty of the performances at reserve and academy level where we are being outpaced by League 2 sides, a renewed approach to investment etc etc etc.

[Sonny]

I am sure LS will comment himself. He has made it clear that, without outside investors, then our future is in our own hands. That investment in the team can only be based on gate receipts and he has criticised quite frequently here , on this site, in English, the fact that there are stay away supporters, supporters who do not bring their mates, season ticket holders who should encourage others to come to the match and to buy their own season tickets. That would bring more money, hence team building hence a better team. Don't tell me that you have missed all this too?

Isn't this true though?

You read it as criticism and slating, most read it as stating the facts and encouragement, desperation even, but it's still the truth.

[latemodelchild]

Surely it's all Ststfords fault!!!!!!

Is that the response you're looking for Andrew?

[Guest JonR]

he is not saying it is the fans fault.

to say that would to attribute blame. He isnt saying if we go down to league one you lot should of bought more season tickets.

What he is saying is we have a ST driven footballing budget so our future is in our own hands.

this statement is completely different as it does attribute blame. If no one comes and gives us millions of pounds we will only be able to give performances relative to our budget. We currently have a relegation budget. if we had 18.5k ST we would have a mid table budget. simples.

[talon]

I bet I know whose fault it isn't..........

[Sonny]

I bet I know whose fault it isn't..........

Sandy Toksvig?

[markowl]

I bet I know whose fault it isn't..........

The players?

Seeing as you're reticent to get embroiled in too much debate about on field matters.

[Paul..]

I blame the Bajorans.

[RobHowe]

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?

I think in terms of the team’s failure on the pitch this season, the blame has to be shared between the players, management and coaching staff – both current and ex.

But I think that the relativity of this failure has been heightened / magnified by the hype and over optimism generated last summer.

I always thought that that this squad was a mid to lower end Championship squad at best – and thanks to the poor run of games during late autumn and early winter the team’s final league position is going to reflect this.

And I think blame for some of the current off the field failings do need attributing to the current regime.

There have been some great improvements and developments – such as the e-ticketing, the shirt sponsorship, the World Cup bid, etc

But there have also been some monumental wee wee tail-ups, especially in terms of communications, etc.

However, these issues in isolation aren’t to blame for why the club is where it is and where – God forbid – it could end up.

They are merely adding to the cumulative effect of the years of mis-management of our club that began back in the mid-90’s.

It is wholly unreasonable for the fans to expect the current regime to resolve the club’s long-term issues overnight.

But it is also wholly unreasonable for the current regime to expect their plans for resolving the club’s long-term issues to be a success overnight.

Yes we are all frustrated.

Yes we are all disappointed.

But we all knew that the road to our recovery was going to be long and difficult, and that it was bound to have many obstacles for us all to overcome along the way.

If we didn’t already know it, we are in for the long haul – possibly even longer if results don’t go our way over the next 2 weekends.

We just have to hang in there.

[RobHowe]

I blame the Bajorans.

Being a Cardassian I agree.

[Aingarth]

Isn't this true though?

You read it as criticism and slating, most read it as stating the facts and encouragement, desperation even, but it's still the truth.

I have actually replied to LS several times on this theme.

It is not a realistic plan to expect thousands of extra Sheffield people to come to the game, or come back to the game just because the club needs them - it has always needed them!

Those who don't come will only be attracted by good football, attractive opposition, success - football is in the leisure business and is expensive when compared to the alternatives. Those who go just because it's Wednesday, like me and presumably you, are already going. And there are many in Sheffield, when they see the rubbish currently being played who already question our sanity!

To encourage us is fine but some of the posts on here (and I don't have enough time to pour through the archive to find them - the main debate was January/February) were making it clear that it was the committed supporters who were failing to get the others to the ground. That is not the best way to keep your core support as I suspect we are all already doing the best we can to keep people coming.

I am not commenting on this subject again because it has completely slanted the question I was asking to one angle only. I don't see people as all good or all bad. So rather than heroes and villains, I see % of responsibility and that was the feedback I was seeking to encourage.

[dc88]

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.

sorry grandad but i've got to disagree on part of that. i don't think it is too early to judge lee and nick. they have made a start:

with regards to the investment, a poor one.

with regards to off field operations, a decent one (by most accounts).

with regards to footballing operations, a mixed one:

with no personal investment (as DA would put it: dipping into his own back pocket) i don't see how we could have expected an influence on the pitch. but having said this, ls and np made it clear when they started that they, themselves, were not the investors, so no blame there. i do think we stuck by laws for slightly too long, so does that attract some of blame for our predicament? who can say. as for the appointment of AI, i think it was a masterstroke and by far the best thing the pair have done in their time at the club. opportunism at its best and for that they deserve credit.

i agree that it is too early to judge alan irvine. he's inherited under-performing players with morale lower than a snakes belly. as for their ability, we all have to remember that by many accounts last season, we "over-achieved"- although i hate the phrase as it begs the question, if they can perform at x level for x number of games, why cant that be made consistent- so were any expectations of a good season really justified?

i can't wait for this season to be over and the out of contract players to do one. then comes the time when we can judge irvine, when he starts to make his own signings and play his own brand of football, whetever league we are in.

UTO.