2019/20 Marcel Brands

[GwladysBlue]

step aside lads the godfather is in town

That shirt

 

[brieverton]

I think he has done well within the constraints and considering the mass of problems we faced last summer, which will not go away in the short-term.

The signings have been the most encouraging aspect, and if we can get another 4-5 new faces in along similar lines in terms of ability and attitude things have the potential to look a lot brighter by as early as August. It's really heartening to see the focus on signing young players.

It will be interesting to see how the summer unfolds, the problem remains that we have a lot of work to do within a finite budget so I think we will see predominantly younger, cheaper, and lesser-known players coming in, with perhaps the exception in terms of fee paid for a striker. He has had 12 months of scouting under his belt now with his own structure evolving and this is very much the summer that we need to begin to see the fruits of that insight and experience for the long-term.

The big concern is the over-reliance on the loan market to shift players without moving them on permanently. But he inherited a god-awful mess of Koeman and Walsh's making there. We can't sell at a trading loss and can't force other clubs to take on players who did nothing to justify the fees paid for them and the exorbitant wages.

I think he brings discipline and cohesion to the whole football operation side and we did badly need a top-down approach to the football business which is what he brings. It seems he views things very much for the long-term so will not compromise short-term benefit for longer-term consistency and sustainability.

I like him, he still has a lot to prove but his basic ideas and methods seem to be founded on common sense and a wealth of experience. DOF is a very specialised role and for us at least, his is the pivotal job at the club, over and above Silva. He can't be expected to get everything right, but we do need him to make the right call 90% of the time. A lot more to do before he can be judged critically.

 

[Lelouch]

That shirt

hide your girl

 

[davek]

step aside lads the godfather is in town

The state of him. The oldest swinger in town. He's like one of those embarrassing Peter Stringfellow types.

Good job he never wears jumpers, he'd have no chance getting them on over those ginormous ears.

 

[Goat]

The state of him. The oldest swinger in town. He's like one of those embarrassing Peter Stringfellow types.

Good job he never wears jumpers, he'd have no chance getting them on over those ginormous ears.

That shirt is horrific.

He defo does NOT only buy baller shirts.

 

[davek]

That shirt is horrific.

He defo does NOT only buy baller shirts.

Wears skinny kecks and trainees.

Feller's a dangerous old fraud.

 

[Goat]

Wears skinny kecks and trainees.

Feller's a dangerous old fraud.

He gets his Dave, hes always roaming round town on his own, prowling, I bet his bed sheets are soaked in fake tan and stuck on eyelashes.

 

[davek]

He gets his Dave, hes always roaming round town on his own, prowling, I bet his bed sheets are soaked in fake tan and stuck on eyelashes.

Ha Ha Ha.

 

[Exeter_Gently]

Wears skinny kecks and trainees.

Feller's a dangerous old fraud.

You're a baldy fat meff who looks like he doesn't wipe his bum properly.

 

[davek]

You're a baldy fat meff who looks like he doesn't wipe his bum properly.

...and?

 

[mkrudden]

You're a baldy fat meff who looks like he doesn't wipe his bum properly.

What the...?!

 

[Billysgingham.]

You're a baldy fat meff who looks like he doesn't wipe his bum properly.

There is a few of them on here.

 

[davek]

I’m a little perplexed at people (@davek) not acknowledging how well Brands has done. I can appreciate that some fans get carried away with a little progress, but given the time and lack of resources implemented by the club - not Brands choosing at all - however if he did decide the austerity needed to address the crazy financial position then even more credit to Brands. How anyone can question Brands is crazy.

Granted, Brands’ time will be marked over a longer period than one year, but already the signs are positive. Brands didn’t decide to sign all the gash on the books, but he’s shrewd and got them off the payroll (not all). It’s not going to happen overnight, but anyone not confident of the fellas actions possibly needs reminding how bad this squad was just last season.

Brands’ is human and may make a mistake, we may let a player go who he decides is not suited/weak/mentally etc... and they move elsewhere and progress and he will make successes of players within the academy set-up or procure talent from outside the club which will be open for criticism but his decisions are so important for the club progressing. By all means criticism is for all but I just feel it’s premature.

I’m just respecting how difficult a task he has and acknowledge some good decisions he has made so far and look forward to him implementing more of his guidance upon the club.

In terms of his signings all have contributed, maybe not consistently, but they have all been good signings - for differing reasons we’ve seen Mina (injuries), Gomes (form) and Bernard (fitness) not perform 100% all out of his reach of influence.

I recall @davek some time ago wanting the club to be more communicative, yet when Bramds releases his vague transfer plans a few weeks ago - He took criticism.

Yet the message that was put out there was clear concise and as open as a club can be without naming players. This gives the fans a little bit of scope that the work next year is already his focus and ultimately his time and resources have been busy - Not twiddling his fingers in January, because he was lazy, but rather he was busy looking beyond a period that is proven to be inflated and little value for money - one of the biggest restrictions facing the club.

Credit to Silva too, just getting on with the task at hand - Not coming out moaning like Koeman, not talking the club up with lies about how boss we are like Martinez, but being focused on his players and controlling what his influence.

Silva has been given what other mangers failed to do themselves - buying key players to address the weaknesses - And has input (Going by the Richarlison transfer).

This is caricature. I do acknowledge his good work. Is it enough to hand him a free pass on other things he's done with less professionalism (like loan out a load of players and reduce their value further and store up the problem of getting shut of them to another day)? No.

I wont partake in this cult of a man who's just about ok so far at doing his job.

 

[MikeH72]

That shirt is horrific.

He defo does NOT only buy baller shirts.

95% of DSquared gear is absolutely putrid but no one will admit it because they like the idea of people being impressed that they spent £800 on a t-shirt.

 

[TheSecondComing]

95% of DSquared gear is absolutely putrid but no one will admit it because they like the idea of people being impressed that they spent £800 on a t-shirt.

Terrible trainers too.

Caps are half decent but give me a mad European club cap over one of them any day