blueandwhitematt

The cynic in me says that now the IFR is happening, they’ve checked out of having to try and do anything serious and will just wait for them to clear up the mess. Another cynic would also think that the EFL want to give the IFR some hard work in the hope that they then fail and self regulation is returned in the medium term.

The only card we really have is to make the games such a farce that it makes a mockery of them and the EFL. I’d prefer them to be on strike at this point but it’s their choice, and there isn’t a chance the PFA will be advising that. Maybe they could just disrupt the game, keep going down injured, launch the ball out of play at any chance, time waste etc. Wishful thinking I suppose.

That wasn’t an 8 minutes stoppage time, certainly not benchmarked against other Championship games I’ve watched over recent years. And it might have made no difference, nothing to say they wouldn’t have equalised in 5. But my point is there is a notable shift in how time is being added on in games this season that doesn’t seem consistent, and it’s the same in the Premier League too. Not consistent with previous seasons, or even across games this season. If they’re going to play longer stoppage times that’s fine, but it needs to be consistent (why I referenced the ridiculous 3 minutes from the Merseyside derby the other week).

Think there’s a real issue with timekeeping this season. Previously you could have a reasonable guess, but I was expecting 5 (maybe 6 at a push) tonight and just can’t see where 8 comes from. And then you think about another example in the Liverpool Everton game the other week where they put up a measly 3 minutes, normally reserved for games where nothing happens. It’s almost like refs have been told to not just add on 4/5 standard added time and are over compensating, it’s happened too often across games I’ve watched this season. It feels a bit off. Something needs to change. Maybe timekeeping is taken away from the referee on the pitch, and another official does it. They can transparently account for the added time as the game is progressing, so it doesn’t just come as a shock at 90 mins when a random number is put up, and takes away the perception that referees are manipulating opportunities.

Nice to talk about football for once. If the score is 1-1 going into injury time there is 5/6 mins max, but is what it is when you’re away from home and one of the leagues expected strugglers. There was at least two extra mins to be added on from Palmer going down though, so no complaints from me there. Don’t want to be too critical of our players as they’re probably all out on their feet but we didn’t manage that injury time very well I don’t think, from wasting extra time to taking Cadz off and going 6 at the back, think we induced a bit of panic but ah well. Great effort from them again though, can’t fault that which is all we really ask at the moment.

It’s a step in the right direction and good to hear they’re starting to properly consider this sort of thing, although not training but still playing at the weekend won’t result in a murmur from either DC or the EFL.

If the players aren’t going to go on strike now, after repeated instances of payment and communication issues, then I’m not sure you can ever take any rumblings of strike action seriously in football. Players have accumulated a tremendous amount of power in the modern game, and perhaps the best thing they could do for the non playing staff who will be getting light pay packets is to expedite DC’s exit so someone can come in and start to treat people with respect again.

Think it was Tony Pulis.

It’ll be interesting hearing Rhodes’ version of events of his spell with us in years to come on the podcast circuit. Based on absolutely nothing except a hunch from watching him play for us, I rarely got the impression he looked totally comfortable on the pitch for us - he was a world away from what we saw for Huddersfield for example. Whether it be the weight of expectation from the fee, a very tough dressing room with big characters and lots of competition, other stuff, who knows.

Another thing to throw in. Bannan clearly signed back up under the pretence that a takeover was happening. If all this is true about DC digging in, then Bannan needs to be instigating his own exit first thing Monday morning.

It would never happen sadly, but Charles would go down in Wednesday history if he refused to be sold, knowing he was the last card DC had to play to limp on another few months.

Yup the Trust needs to lead this as a single unifying voice of the fans. Regular slots on Football Heaven, columns in the Star, short Facebook videos that can easily be shared etc? I’m sure there are some fans with professional expertise in this area who could help. It’s not an easy thing to get right, and that is no criticism. That being said I would encourage everyone if possible to sign up as a full member (£10) to lend as much weight as possible to them.

Couldn’t agree more. We all need to now calibrate away from hopes of a takeover (if it happens then great), and settle in for a longer term fight and being the test case for the regulator.

You know what, I’m at the point now where the more I think about it the more this is the scenario I want to see play out. Our season is cooked anyway even if by some miracle we were sold before the window shuts. The regulator HAS to make an example of him otherwise they may as well not bother with it, so if that’s the game he wants to play then seeing it get taken off him kicking and screaming would be some minor comfort. This is the scenario we need to be getting ready for now.

I called it out as pathetic in the other thread so only right I should say well done for reconsidering, not always a given these days. Common sense has prevailed (and will make for some excellent content for their TV show - would be a real shame if they had any footage of trying to negotiate with DC from say the January transfer window…)