Not everyone can be blamed

[Canadian Rover]

1The board
2 The manager
3 HOF
4 Players

You can't blame them all. who's really at fault

[keith79]

1 and 2

[NickDRFC]

Why can’t they all be blamed? They’re all responsible to some degree for the mess we find ourselves in.

1. Bad decision after bad decision in recruiting managers and possibly players, and arguably the HoFO. Great that we’re making money commercially but it feels like the focus on that is fiddling whilst Rome burns. Difficult to talk about the budget given it’s an unknown but given the level of recruitment in January I get the nagging suspicion that it’s not quite as competitive as we’re being told.

2. Doing a worse job than McSheffrey. Stubborn and inflexible. Either ignorant to or accepting of rank bad performances when talking to the media, and I’m not sure which is worse

3. Hired the manager and led recruitment for the past 2 windows, neither of which have been demonstrably better than what’s come before

4. Cowards. Disappear when the chips are down and absolutely spineless the bulk of the time. Some just aren’t good enough but the blame for that lies with 1-3.

[Chris Black come back]

Copps cannot really be blamed for this but it’s worth saying - for as long as he was playing and however bad we were at time, with him on the pitch there was always a link to something better, something beyond what we could realistically hope or afford, something during a game that would make you realise it didn’t always have to be as bad as it was.

Danny Blanchflower was famously quoted talking in the 60s about Everton’s Alex Young “The view every Saturday that we have of a more perfect world, a world that has got pattern and is finite. And that’s Alex, the Golden Vision.”

We’ve had that taken from us and I think while Copps was on the pitch it masked the often mediocrity and misery we had to endure. He couldn’t be expected to play forever but it’s probably no coincidence that him retiring has broken the bond that made things look better than they actually were. He forced other players to raise their game.

[sedwardsdrfc]

I’m sure managers players etc all say we win together we lose together.

So simply everyone is to blame. Of course it’s harder to say just get rid of everyone. Players and managers are easier to replace than owners and HoF’s.

But they all need to learn from their mistakes. That’s what’s worrying. Last season was a horror show. McSheffery was a poor mistake to make and then we do the same again this season with DS.

If DS gets the summer to sign players he wants after what he’s shown us so far it’s another mistake and shows a lack of learning from the top. We’ll be in November looking for a manager again. Make a decisive move now and show you’ve learnt by getting someone with a bit of experience.

[mrfrostsdad]

All four without a doubt, but maybe not in equal measures.
The board yes, because they're happy we're self sustainable (which I get) but we need an extra injection of cash IMO.

HOF yes, because assuming he has a big say in appointments he's dropped a clanger with our current manager.

The manager, without any shadow of a doubt. Totally inflexible, no plan B (not that his plan A is any good) who cannot see these bunch of players are not good enough to carry out what he is trying to do.

The players. The biggest set of spineless, useless, uncaring wasters I've ever seen playing for our club. At least the team that got relegated to the Conference tried, even if they were crap.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Why do we have to play the blame game every time we lose a football match?

There can't be many who realistically expected us to win at Salford who are a decent side. Yes, we can pick the bones out of the performance, or lack of, but having the same debate, looking to pin the blame on someone for our league position isn't going to solve anything.

We talk about an injection of cash which none of us have. We talk about the owners selling up. To who exactly? There's been ample opportunity for any interested parties to come in over the last 10 years so it's not safe to assume forcing the owners to sell would put us in a better position.

So what have we got? There's us and currently we have a HoF, a trusted legend in our game, who knows the club and fans , who has immeasurably more experience than us. In the run of things, he's had two transfer windows to adjust things and the players brought in are probably bar one, better than the ones we've offloaded.

I cannot see Copps not seeing the same weaknesses as ourselves.

He's appointed DS who he believed in and whether he still does we can debate all we want but I suggest he's better placed to see whether he is or isn't getting the best out of the players we have.

Once again, we can only trust and hope Copps makes the case to the board come the summer. We shouldn't expect him to do the impossible but gradually improve the players available to the head coach.

Instead of looking backwards, think what it would take to turn is from an inconsistent mid table team, to a promotion challenging team in this league. Let's be right, it isn't that much judging by the opposition. Two or three quality players in key positions could tip the balance. We don't have to throw huge sums at it but yes, use it wisely.

It's tough, but it could be worse as well as much better.

[drfchound]

It isn’t just complaining when we lose a match though is it?
Even when we win, many fans can see that the football we play is shockingly negative and poor and on this forum, have said so.
Agreed that lots didn’t expect us to win at Salford but is wasn’t unreasonable to have thought we might beat Hartlepool and Harrogate.

[NickDRFC]

I can’t be the only one who is sick of hearing the “it could be worse” line trotted out. Of course it could, but it could be much better. In fact it was much better, only 2 and a half years ago before we nosedived. Plus it will be worse, much worse, if we continue at the current trajectory.

DBR - what people are writing here isn’t in response to this result in isolation. Surely you can’t be so blind as to not recognise the much deeper problems that we have?

A massive part of the problem is that those at the club probably share your attitude and aren’t interested in any introspection. We have to look backwards and analyse where things have gone and continue to go wrong, otherwise we’re doomed to keep making the same mistakes and the decline will become terminal.

[Filo]

It’s the manner of the defeats that hurts, chasing shadows against a bang average side is not a good look, no team has to be world beaters to defeat us, they just need to work hard and over 90 minutes the will comfortably beat us, we play the game in our own third, trying to pass it out, but we’re not very good at it, we have no misters that like to get stuck in, instead we have fairy’s that don’t fancy getting a kick

[StocksArmy]

We are getting exactly what the board are willing to pay for. The only way this can improve is to sack the manager, offer a proven manager more money to persuade him to come in and have a major overhaul in players. This club has to have investment or its going in Scunthorpes direction. Is like to know if the club are planning on doing something about this.

[Canadian Rover]

Why do we have to play the blame game every time we lose a football match?

There can't be many who realistically expected us to win at Salford who are a decent side. Yes, we can pick the bones out of the performance, or lack of, but having the same debate, looking to pin the blame on someone for our league position isn't going to solve anything.

We talk about an injection of cash which none of us have. We talk about the owners selling up. To who exactly? There's been ample opportunity for any interested parties to come in over the last 10 years so it's not safe to assume forcing the owners to sell would put us in a better position.

So what have we got? There's us and currently we have a HoF, a trusted legend in our game, who knows the club and fans , who has immeasurably more experience than us. In the run of things, he's had two transfer windows to adjust things and the players brought in are probably bar one, better than the ones we've offloaded.

I cannot see Copps not seeing the same weaknesses as ourselves.

He's appointed DS who he believed in and whether he still does we can debate all we want but I suggest he's better placed to see whether he is or isn't getting the best out of the players we have.

Once again, we can only trust and hope Copps makes the case to the board come the summer. We shouldn't expect him to do the impossible but gradually improve the players available to the head coach.

Instead of looking backwards, think what it would take to turn is from an inconsistent mid table team, to a promotion challenging team in this league. Let's be right, it isn't that much judging by the opposition. Two or three quality players in key positions could tip the balance. We don't have to throw huge sums at it but yes, use it wisely.

It's tough, but it could be worse as well as much better.

Not only after losses. This was a part of my post post Wimbledon.


I thought I'd remention this today after a win. I'm happy we won. But don't be fooled nothing is fixed.

We need a new manager, players or formation and tactics. The team were still poor (and) VERY lucky to win. That goal line clearance from the Wimbledon forward was horrific!! As bad as I've ever seen.

We won. Great. But don't be fooled

[normal rules]

Schofields agent has just over 50 people on their books. Three of them are at rovers. Schofield included.
Copps’ old agent (CAA Stellar) has over 750 on their books. And yet not one plays for rovers.
Shouldn’t we be making the most of his contacts?

[grayx]

We are getting exactly what the board are willing to pay for. The only way this can improve is to sack the manager, offer a proven manager more money to persuade him to come in and have a major overhaul in players. This club has to have investment or its going in Scunthorpes direction. Is like to know if the club are planning on doing something about this.

Spot on..

[belton rover]

It’s the perfect storm. All 4 points have nothing to give positively. Nothing to fight against the tide.

[DonnyBiz]

There's definitely something not right within the club. Copps stated something along the lines of, you have to work with what you can afford. That was at the MTO event. That obviously suggests a restricted budget. The owners said they've not knowingly knocked back any requests for new players. But, the club also say, they want to avoid agent fees, or words to that effect. Does that indicate that because fees are to be avoided, then DS had to be the coach employed, and in turn, the players on the same agency as DS are the ones to be picked from?

If that's the case then nothing will improve without extra investment/finance hence "bring a friend". Which is a direct challenge to supporters as I see it. Basically it says to me, if you want better, then help out by bringing more revenue. Which is the opposite of speculate to accumulate. Their job to make it better for more supporters to want to come. Their stance encourages stalemate and stagnation and an ability to blame us for the failings on the pitch IMO.

That's how I see it at present.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Copps cannot really be blamed for this but it’s worth saying - for as long as he was playing and however bad we were at time, with him on the pitch there was always a link to something better, something beyond what we could realistically hope or afford, something during a game that would make you realise it didn’t always have to be as bad as it was.

Danny Blanchflower was famously quoted talking in the 60s about Everton’s Alex Young “The view every Saturday that we have of a more perfect world, a world that has got pattern and is finite. And that’s Alex, the Golden Vision.”

We’ve had that taken from us and I think while Copps was on the pitch it masked the often mediocrity and misery we had to endure. He couldn’t be expected to play forever but it’s probably no coincidence that him retiring has broken the bond that made things look better than they actually were. He forced other players to raise their game.

That is a very perceptive post.

[normal rules]

There's definitely something not right within the club. Copps stated something along the lines of, you have to work with what you can afford. That was at the MTO event. That obviously suggests a restricted budget. The owners said they've not knowingly knocked back any requests for new players. But, the club also say, they want to avoid agent fees, or words to that effect. Does that indicate that because fees are to be avoided, then DS had to be the coach employed, and in turn, the players on the same agency as DS are the ones to be picked from?

If that's the case then nothing will improve without extra investment/finance hence "bring a friend". Which is a direct challenge to supporters as I see it. Basically it says to me, if you want better, then help out by bringing more revenue. Which is the opposite of speculate to accumulate. Their job to make it better for more supporters to want to come. Their stance encourages stalemate and stagnation and an ability to blame us for the failings on the pitch IMO.

That's how I see it at present.

It’s no secret that the club avoid certain agents simply because their fees are too high. Which I’m loathed to confess does play into the Netto Brigades philosophy. You get what you pay for, on the whole in football with some exceptions of course.
And Copps as a player, does not translate to Copps as a HOF I’m afraid.

[Dare to dream!]

The manager hasn’t been here long and they aren’t his players but he has to take some blame.

The football being served up is the worst we have seen all season and it’s getting worse. It does not give me the confidence that he will be able to turn it around even with a pre-season.

[Rovers91]

They are all responsible for this shit show. But for me most of the responsibility is for those off the pitch with the player recruitment, the don't want to be here attitude from the board and the ridiculous managerial appointments which this one Copps has to take responsibility for as well.

[glosterred]

2 and 4 for me


COYR

[The Beast]

1The board
2 The manager
3 HOF
4 Players

You can't blame them all. who's really at fault

All 4 have got to shoulder the blame. I'd add though that it's probably the level we're at. Doncaster's a big town but the residents are apathetic about the football team. Before we had the relegation to the conference  and then the big push to the Championship we were just a lowly 4th tier club, with around 2,000  hard core fans, that is all we'll ever be really, the glory years of Penney and O'Driscoll were very much the exception, not the norm, we're now about whereabouts what we are, I'm sure there'll be the odd exceptions. Let's not get delusions of grandeur, we're not a Leeds United, a Sheff United or Wednesday, we're mot even a Barnsley Hull, Huddersfield or Bradford, we're more of a Scunny or a Chesterfield. Get your rashion book out.

[Chris Black come back]

In the last quarter of a century this season will statistically be our worst since 1997/98. In terms of abject awfulness and consistent failure it is behind 1997/98, but I’m torn as to whether this season is worse than last season. Both have truly terrible football played consistently and slapstick defending running through each season like Blackpool rock. Perhaps last season was at a higher level so it could be forgiven a little, but we’ve not had quite as abject signings as last season. It’s going to be hard work to surpass the summer and winter windows last season for just laughable failure and amateurishness.

[steve@dcfd]

Schofields agent has just over 50 people on their books. Three of them are at rovers. Schofield included.
Copps’ old agent (CAA Stellar) has over 750 on their books. And yet not one plays for rovers.
Shouldn’t we be making the most of his contacts?

Maybe the players he looks after we can afford

[WantleyDragon]

It's the board, that's what it all boils down to in the end.

[ravenrover]

Based on what?

[donnievic]

At the minute and why we are playing it falls with the manager and players,I get that he wants to play out from the back and play football but we are causing our own downfall with goals we are conceding and we haven’t got the players to keep doing it.Not sure sacking him is the right thing and we can’t keep doing it,it took Sean a couple of seasons to get going so for me he needs off season to bring players in and not just Jan.
 The players have to take their part to blame as sim and at times looks as though they arnt even trying at times
 You can blame the board with what players are being brought in but know one really know how much they are spending never mind what other money they are putting in,after all they are business men yet other fans are moaning because it’s not their money.
 As for Baldwin I can’t see how he gets any of the blame at all he is just the one that is trying to keep it all going and using money what’s there

[sedwardsdrfc]

Problem is with so little entertainment on the pitch what else do we talk about if not how bad it is and how did we get here?

Can’t really talk about how we improve without addressing where we went wrong so naturally your going to get complaints and negativity when we lose

[WantleyDragon]

Based on what?

Based on the bleeding obvious.

[Sammy Chung was King]

There is no real ambition to get any better. Coppinger if you’re going to go for an inexperienced manager should have been the one. He’s too shrewd for that, he knows there is no longevity in the role.

The problem is a very deep one that has soaked into the club. It’s like a mould that has seeped into the foundations, and is rotting the club.
The Salford game shows how far we have fallen, and that the full fall hasn’t finished yet.