The Reign of Mike Mulvey

[Ancient Mariner]

Righto champ.

I can understand a supporter not renewing their membership and walking away

I do not understand a supporter only going to away games. They are not only, not supporting their own club but are then supporting opposition clubs.

Opposition supporters coming to our games are more valuable to us than this type of supporter.

If the club is to survive, we need supporters not those who want to drag us down.

 

[Ozhammer]

As much as many folk are understandably disillusioned with the recent plight of our club, it is still our club at the end of the day. If people stop supporting the team, the situation will only get worse, possibly to the point where we have no club at all and I for one refuse to be part of making that happen.

As the club listened to our concerns about the previous coaching team and acted positively on that, I will therefore be there again next season and the season after that etc.

Remember, it is difficult years like the last few that make you appreciate the good years when they return, which they surely will with the right people at the core of the club.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Decision to not renew was vindicated tonight. Away games only

Not going to add anything useful at all? No reason why you don't think Mulvey will do well or who you think should have been picked?

 

[nebakke]

As much as many folk are understandably disillusioned with the recent plight of our club, it is still our club at the end of the day. If people stop supporting the team, the situation will only get worse, possibly to the point where we have no club at all and I for one refuse to be part of making that happen.

As the club listened to our concerns about the previous coaching team and acted positively on that, I will therefore be there again next season and the season after that etc.

Remember, it is difficult years like the last few that make you appreciate the good years when they return, which they surely will with the right people at the core of the club.

It's a balance though - when is "our club" no longer "our club"? I think that's very much an individual thing and I think it's mighty harsh, and easy, to judge the actions of others, at-a-distance.
For some people, the club is the ethos and mythos, for others it's the colors, people and location and for others it's all of those and then some. If the ethos of the club plays a major role in why you follow (as it does/did for someone like me) there's no discounting that things have been going downhill for a while and not just in the financial department.
I'm not leaving right now, but I followed, in no small way, because of the whole "Little Club that Could" and "Never Say Die" attitudes thing as well as then representing the place that I love and live... If half of that went away, why should I keep paying membership? If that disappears, the club that I support has essentially ceased to exist and all that is left is a blue-yellow husk.

You're right about the good years, and I don't know HTF Jesters have done it for so long, but I don't pay good money to have a front-row seat to re-occurring depression and disappointment every weekend. I don't need for us to win every year for me to keep going - that was never what it was about... A large part of the excitement after the first couple of games this year, was down to seeing a team who looked like they wanted to be there... In some ways I'm angrier and more frustrated now than i was last year, specifically for this reason... Last year, I wasn't sure if the team had it in them, to play with motivation and interest... So when they didn't t was potentially just a lack of ability.

This year, I know that they just aren't...

Anyway, I think I'm with Wombat on this... I'm probably back for the next season, but that's the end of it if things keep going the way they are. I don't really need anyone's approval to stop renewing my membership - but I also don't particularly want to go down that path.

 

[Insertnamehere]

As I did with PO I'll give MM a preseason and 15-20 games before I pass judgement. I think SM, MC and the board have made the right decision in this appointment. It's encumbent on the supporters to give the club a chance here.
Might not like what MC has to say but it'll only get worse if we don't have support at least for this new manager.

 

[ballantyne]

I can confirm that I knew about this ages ago. I will be renewing so that I can go to the fence at the first home game and throw my membership card onto the sidelines, having first shat on it. The FFA pays referees to make sure we lose.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

So was Moss, Walmsley and Okon on Day #1, just saying.

Yeah BUT he was impressive for realz ok.

In all seriousness I asked myself how is this different . And track record meets his clarity and communication were my answers.

 

[midfielder]

To be fair, to be fair as Shaun said to Mick...

We lost a number of games this year ....hhhhhmmmm ... we should have won ....

We often did not react to the changing pattern of games we played...

Okon seemed to have a thing against some players eg Trent ... and over played others eg Ap....

I am again feeling confident ... IMO the biggest loss we had last year was Danny Boy ....

Time will tell... but the early decision and choice of coach is encouraging.

 

[Insertnamehere]

To be fair, to be fair as Shaun said to Mick...

We lost a number of games this year ....hhhhhmmmm ... we should have won ....

We often did not react to the changing pattern of games we played...

Okon seemed to have a thing against some players eg Trent ... and over played others eg Ap....

I am again feeling confident ... IMO the biggest loss we had last year was Danny Boy ....

Time will tell... but the early decision and choice of coach is encouraging.

Did SM make that commentary out loud?

 

[FFC Mariner]

Too early to say that Fulham, surely.

Pikey made it quite clear that there is no more money than he invested this season so the squad wont be much better. He talked about "innovative" solutions.
Chucking young kids in at the deep end and hoping you can sell one is not "innovative" even if they do come from Malta for free.
He has had all of my good faith. When he shows hes serious, so will I.
Most of the texts and IM's I received last night were similar (but not as polite)
Should have accepted the meeting with the Chinese that Lawrie tried to set up shouldnt he?

 

[FFC Mariner]

Not going to add anything useful at all? No reason why you don't think Mulvey will do well or who you think should have been picked?

I think hes a good solid coaching appointment. Not much he can do with a State league squad though is there?

 

[pjennings]

Pikey made it quite clear that there is no more money than he invested this season so the squad wont be much better. He talked about "innovative" solutions.
Chucking young kids in at the deep end and hoping you can sell one is not "innovative" even if they do come from Malta for free.
He has had all of my good faith. When he shows hes serious, so will I.
Most of the texts and IM's I received last night were similar (but not as polite)
Should have accepted the meeting with the Chinese that Lawrie tried to set up shouldnt he?

I'm not so fussed about the Malta connection. The only thing there is we can loan some youngsters to them to play competitive fixtures when they have no alternative games here. The Visa players are unlikely to come from there. Remember we have 3 on our books for next year and it looks like it is going to 3 + 1.

As for Lawrie, it seems from a tweet I saw last night that Lawrie tweeted that it was basically a done deal with the Jets before they sat down for a coffee with the Mariners. Sounded like a courtesy call at most.

 

[localpom]

Good ap

I think hes a good solid coaching appointment. Not much he can do with a State league squad though is there?

To be fair, we had a squad that should have finished top 6 if managed well. At about a 3rd of the way through the season we were looking fine. The wheels came off but i don't buy the excuse that we didn't have the players.

 

[Josho Howe]

There were a group of us that had a good chat with Mulvey after the forum concluded and he was definitely saying all the right things. The thing that showed he was committed to us and the job was the fact that he had turned down a job in Thailand that was paying 3 times as much as what we are. Also that he's moving to the coast and called it ''god's country''. I believe he was the best coach available for us to get, but again being at the floor of the cap next season doesn't help him in the slightest. He also said he was happy that there were 13 players off contract which meant he would be able to go out and sign the players he wants.

 

[Big Al]

I'm not so fussed about the Malta connection. The only thing there is we can loan some youngsters to them to play competitive fixtures when they have no alternative games here. The Visa players are unlikely to come from there. Remember we have 3 on our books for next year and it looks like it is going to 3 + 1.

As for Lawrie, it seems from a tweet I saw last night that Lawrie tweeted that it was basically a done deal with the Jets before they sat down for a coffee with the Mariners. Sounded like a courtesy call at most.

It’s going 4+1 as far as I understand. Malta seemed more like a place to send those we won’t play and can’t get off our books to me.

 

[Coastalraider]

It’s going 4+1 as far as I understand. Malta seemed more like a place to send those we won’t play and can’t get off our books to me.

We have an issue in the sport in this country that the bulk of squad players that aren't playing Aleague have nowhere to play (i know a few play NYL, but numbers are restricted). To look at the Rugby League model - which I know some of you will hate the comparison! - a team has a squad of 30, and barring injuries, all 30 will play at either first grade, NSW cup (reserve grade) or under 20s every weekend. It gives fringe players game time to state their case, and if you need to 'drop' a player, they have somewhere to play?

Maybe having a link with Belzan will be a massive bonus, and effectively be our reserve grade? Surely it would only be beneficial to us to send the likes of Berry and Bingham on multi game loans to get game time, not only from a point of view that they may improve, but they may even increase their value for on-sale purposes.

 

[Insertnamehere]

Good ap

To be fair, we had a squad that should have finished top 6 if managed well. At about a 3rd of the way through the season we were looking fine. The wheels came off but i don't buy the excuse that we didn't have the players.

Were looking ok until that stupid underage tournament plus some ongoing injury niggles. I'd be surprised if DDS wasn't carrying a hammy issue since that tournie.
I agree top 6 was always doable

 

[Coastalraider]

Good ap

To be fair, we had a squad that should have finished top 6 if managed well. At about a 3rd of the way through the season we were looking fine. The wheels came off but i don't buy the excuse that we didn't have the players.

I think we 'JUST' had a top squad who could make the finals if coached correctly. What our squad spend does is ensure that we need a lot more things to go right than most teams for us to make the finals.

This year showed that it is definitely possible to make the finals on our spend, but if we have a couple of injuries, or the team loses some direction, we are no hope. We need a perfect storm. I really feel like the EXPERIENCED appointment of Mulvey will really help with the team not losing focus as happened this year, and hopefully he can recruit wisely, and give us a shot.

 

[Insertnamehere]

To be a fly on the wall during exit interviews with the players. Assuming we are professional enough to be doing those....

 

[FFC Mariner]

I suspect the players who are going have already been told - talking to ex players, this is usually the case. We are screaming out for 2 fullbacks a 10 and at least 2 HAL strikers (I think DDS will be off, no info, just a hunch).