| Dorking 11:35 - Apr 13 with 13472 views | Dalenet |
Hope the pitch holds out today. Dorking travelled yesterday and have been relaxing in the pool and sauna's at the Norton Grange overnight. I overheard them say that 36 players and staff were to be catered for - not bad for a semi-pro part time team. Lets hope they ate a large breakfast |  | | |  |
| Dorking on 17:59 - Apr 13 with 2788 views | D_Alien |
| Dorking on 17:39 - Apr 13 by 442Dale |
Can’t argue with a lot of that. We are very average but before the season and after what we’ve endured off the pitch, that’s where we are. The decline has been halted somewhat.
We now have to improve. |
There's a nagging similarity between where we are and where we were at the end of 2021/22
Stockdale was said to have 'stopped the rot' but there were many voices asking if he was the right manager to take us forward, i.e. could he "improve" us?
I'm not looking forward to the prospect of us wasting another close season on the off chance that McNulty has something up his sleeve that he's not shown over the past twelve months. I don't think he wants to 'learn' in terms of his playing style, just continue with the same tactics and hope something clicks for players whose skill levels suggest that's not going to happen; that includes potential new signings on a tight budget
*apologies in advance - i said i wasn't going to add to my earlier comment*
[Post edited 13 Apr 21:10]
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| Dorking on 18:07 - Apr 13 with 2724 views | dawlishdale |
| Dorking on 17:39 - Apr 13 by 442Dale |
Can’t argue with a lot of that. We are very average but before the season and after what we’ve endured off the pitch, that’s where we are. The decline has been halted somewhat.
We now have to improve. |
Apart from a few half decent efforts near the end, it was yet another borefest. Results may have improved ( compared to an awful season last time out) but entertainment (Hayes the notable exception) hasn't changed.
The buck stops with McNulty I'm afraid. This league is way below the standard of L2 of last season, and even that wasn't a strong league.
The Manager alone sets up the way we play and endlessly pass it around for no reason. Yes...it comes off once in a blue moon, but for goodness sakes; we were playing a part time team who had recently played another match before an arduous journey up here. We should have been flying at them instead of making them look at least as good as us for long periods.
As others have rightly said; how is Jim-ball going to encourage people to purchase a season ticket next year? | | | |
| Dorking on 18:11 - Apr 13 with 2688 views | Rodingdale |
| Dorking on 17:58 - Apr 13 by YouTubeDale |
The simple answer is ; Jim has got to go, then rebuild with a new manager with an entertaining, positive ethos. |
Yes - and for that to happen, so does Simon Gauge because neither man has shown they are able to adapt their approach to learn or listen to alternative views. We have inertia and a strong force will be required to shift it. Here’s hoping SPO understands this and rings the required changes - soon. | | | |
| Dorking on 18:19 - Apr 13 with 2645 views | Nafelad |
| Dorking on 16:17 - Apr 13 by Rodingdale |
I have a season ticket but haven’t been since the lucky draw we had v Oxford City largely because the football on offer is dull and gives nothing to get behind. Genuine question - Why would I buy a ST next season. |
'Out of habit' like me, for the last few seasons> |  |
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| Dorking on 18:37 - Apr 13 with 2503 views | D_Alien |
| Dorking on 18:11 - Apr 13 by Rodingdale |
Yes - and for that to happen, so does Simon Gauge because neither man has shown they are able to adapt their approach to learn or listen to alternative views. We have inertia and a strong force will be required to shift it. Here’s hoping SPO understands this and rings the required changes - soon. |
That's the most salient issue - in the current negotiations, does SG want out and therefore we have new leadership?
My initial impression is that SPO (all being well) won't necessarily be taking a 'hands on' approach, certainly on the playing side. If SG wants to stay as Chairman, nothing will change on the pitch
[Post edited 13 Apr 18:45]
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| Dorking on 18:59 - Apr 13 with 2378 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
| Dorking on 17:27 - Apr 13 by D_Alien |
He's under contract for next season
Amid the off-field events, i can't see him being sacked. My views are already known so i'm not going to add to them |
I know he is under contract but we have kicked out the last three incumbents in the job, for similar obvious reasons.
We are loosing fans and season ticket holders ( see this thread,not my words) hand over fist, at a time we should be trying the complete opposite.
I know it's a big financial outlet to get rid but long term is it worth it? | | | |
| Dorking on 19:11 - Apr 13 with 2308 views | D_Alien |
| Dorking on 18:59 - Apr 13 by Yorkshire_Dale |
I know he is under contract but we have kicked out the last three incumbents in the job, for similar obvious reasons.
We are loosing fans and season ticket holders ( see this thread,not my words) hand over fist, at a time we should be trying the complete opposite.
I know it's a big financial outlet to get rid but long term is it worth it? |
I took your phrase "given a new term of office" to mean having his contract renewed... which is what it usually means
Perhaps "given another season" would have made it clearer [Post edited 13 Apr 19:12]
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| Dorking on 19:50 - Apr 13 with 2136 views | Sandyman |
I wrote this to myself after BIFFO's away.
"Jim has guided us through some barren times this season and kept things together, so he deserves credit for that. We have stayed up! Disappointed with Jim's post-match interview though. Despite the state of the pitch here, or anywhere, he is still insisting on playing in a manner that is more difficult on poor surfaces.
"That's the most important thing to me, how we play our football" he said, again. So reminiscent of BBM telling us the team were wonderful in defeat because they kept to style. As EllDale said, (Red card thread?) "Let’s get out of this mindset originally fostered by BBM of style over substance".
Results, points, entertainment, adapting to the state of the game to improve our chances of success lag behind in importance. This is the way we play, we don't change, it's boring to watch most of the time and lets every other team in the league know what we will do. Gives opponents an advantage every game. If Jim can only offer one way, and refuses to budge on the one way, his tenure has to be questioned. He surely needs to be more open minded if we are to achieve anything?"
After what we witnessed today, nothing will ever change with Jim McNulty in charge. We've seen it too often. Totally inflexible or unable to change. Points lost yet again by having no plan B. Against a part -time relegated team who had a go rather than wanting to impress in game metrics.
I hope our potential investors can see through this charade. |  | | |
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| Dorking on 19:50 - Apr 13 with 2131 views | BlackburnDale |
| Dorking on 17:15 - Apr 13 by isitme |
Mitchell, Rodney and Henderson all missing chances that they should have put away. If we had played with a bit of drive and tempo we could have had a hatful. |
So many occasions this season when the visiting side here shows much more desire & pace - today was no exception. Chapman pulled off a super save in the second half, plus other saves otherwise we'd have ended up with nothing. | | | |
| Dorking on 20:12 - Apr 13 with 1989 views | EllDale |
The word that kept repeating itself in my head as I left the ground today was profligate.
Wasteful would be another; for what’s it worth I thought Dale played better today compared to the dirges that we’ve seen in recent weeks against the likes of Oxford and Dagenham & Redbridge.
But the fact remains that Dorking, Oxford and York have all taken a point from Spotland and how the hell did Ebbsfleet take six points off us?
And for all the blocked shots and territorial dominance it was the goalkeeper who was the man of the match! Against a team hanging through the relegation trapdoor and who had played, and conceded four goals, on Thursday.
The main culprit of the profligacy was Mitchell. He may have scored 14 this season but, despite the recent love-in with him recently, he doesn’t strike me as a natural goal scorer.
There were some glaring misses from him today. He should have had one in first half stoppage time and blew a couple more in the second.
To my mind our main goal threat before Christmas was Sinclair and since then it’s been Hayes.
And the midfield can’t be relied upon to chip in with goals. East had a little purple patch in Autumn but he and Gilmour, lovely, neat, precise footballers that they are, are so reluctant to pull the trigger.
Let’s be honest, this league is a gluepot to get out of. It took Wrexham 14 years and then only with the massive injection of American cash.
There has been talk above of season ticket holders becoming disillusioned. I suspect a few will be thinking hard and long about renewal factoring in things like a predicted hike in prices, the exodus of a few of this year’s better performers and how recruitment of replacements goes this summer
I’ve no doubt we will be told frequently by BJ about how he doesn’t have a competitive budget but that doesn’t seem to hinder the likes of Bromley, Altrincham or Gateshead.
I don’t want Dale to become a team bobbing along in mid table for years, not bad enough to go down but not ambitious enough to really try and win games. [Post edited 13 Apr 20:14]
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| Dorking on 20:32 - Apr 13 with 1891 views | sxdale |
| Dorking on 17:59 - Apr 13 by D_Alien |
There's a nagging similarity between where we are and where we were at the end of 2021/22
Stockdale was said to have 'stopped the rot' but there were many voices asking if he was the right manager to take us forward, i.e. could he "improve" us?
I'm not looking forward to the prospect of us wasting another close season on the off chance that McNulty has something up his sleeve that he's not shown over the past twelve months. I don't think he wants to 'learn' in terms of his playing style, just continue with the same tactics and hope something clicks for players whose skill levels suggest that's not going to happen; that includes potential new signings on a tight budget
*apologies in advance - i said i wasn't going to add to my earlier comment*
[Post edited 13 Apr 21:10]
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Much as I want to, I can't disagree with any of that!
My fear at the start of the season was that we would do a Scunthorpe, drop through the division and be playing National League North. In that respect Jim has achieved the primary goal.
However the pedestrian style of football saps the will to live and the opposition in general in this division has been awful. With the players we have had at our disposal, any type of attacking intent would have had us comfortably occupying a play off spot.
The fact that we have not, and moreover that Jim seems to think we are playing fantastic, brave football is why for me he has to go.
As others have said he's a nice guy but where do nice guys finish? | | | |
| Dorking on 20:35 - Apr 13 with 1860 views | DaleFan7 |
It was a poor game today, our keeper kept us in it and rightly won man of the match and then for the last 10 mins their keeper kept them in it.
Bring on next season. | | | |
| Dorking on 20:57 - Apr 13 with 1751 views | 442Dale |
| Dorking on 17:59 - Apr 13 by D_Alien |
There's a nagging similarity between where we are and where we were at the end of 2021/22
Stockdale was said to have 'stopped the rot' but there were many voices asking if he was the right manager to take us forward, i.e. could he "improve" us?
I'm not looking forward to the prospect of us wasting another close season on the off chance that McNulty has something up his sleeve that he's not shown over the past twelve months. I don't think he wants to 'learn' in terms of his playing style, just continue with the same tactics and hope something clicks for players whose skill levels suggest that's not going to happen; that includes potential new signings on a tight budget
*apologies in advance - i said i wasn't going to add to my earlier comment*
[Post edited 13 Apr 21:10]
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While there are some on here who clearly think I’m a McNulty apologist to make up for their own lack of knowledge about the game or our club, I’ll be the first to admit on how far short he falls. Especially when it comes to understanding how much of the fanbase are getting frustrated around the insistence to stick to a “method” which actually deviates away from the “total options” we were told was our way of playing.
Go back over a year to Wimbledon away and you’ll see some of us were all over the manager (McNulty) whose tactics didn’t mirror the routes towards positivity the fans were crying out for. This simply cannot be deviated away from, and the amount of goals we’ve scored this season by being effectively direct support this. As do the goals we’ve conceded by passing unnecessarily at the back.
McNulty has no excuses should we choose to play ineffectively. And yet, lost in the discussion today, is the fact he produced the most attacking substitutions of the season and a possible game changer at this level. A forward came on at LB, Henderson replaced Gilmour and we suddenly were playing a 3-1–4-2 formation that almost became a front six at times with more efforts at goal than we managed in the entire game previously. Adding Sinclair only enforced this message. It was unique and we can only hope it’s not an end of season thing.
What do we do? Hard to answer. The ball is in McNulty’s court as he knows what supporters want and what makes us more effective. Can he do it? Yes. Will he do it? Therein lies the biggest questions.
Hyperbole on either side will not help our football club. [Post edited 13 Apr 21:02]
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| Dorking on 21:04 - Apr 13 with 1704 views | James1980 |
Sorry for repeating myself but what some of you want will require a marked change in tactics from bottom to top throughout the age groups. The ethos is 'Possession based' so if JM is given his marching orders the new head coach/manager will be expected to play possession based football. | |
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| Dorking on 21:12 - Apr 13 with 1659 views | 442Dale |
| Dorking on 21:04 - Apr 13 by James1980 |
Sorry for repeating myself but what some of you want will require a marked change in tactics from bottom to top throughout the age groups. The ethos is 'Possession based' so if JM is given his marching orders the new head coach/manager will be expected to play possession based football. |
See above, James. Some people, including the manager, are overthinking the whole situation. Any club with a board with little football knowledge are irrelevant at present.
Understand the fanbase, understand your players, understand what works.
It’s that simple. | |
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| Dorking on 21:14 - Apr 13 with 1642 views | Sandyman |
I doubt few, or even none of the remarks previously made by supporters amount to hyperbole. They seem to be well observed and astute comments on where we are, what fans perceive, and what we think we could see that is better.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hyperbole
"Meaning of hyperbole in English
a way of speaking or writing that makes someone or something sound bigger, better, more, etc. than they are:
The blurb on the back of the book was full of the usual hyperbole - "enthralling", "fascinating", and so on."
We heard a lot of that from the presenter at the end of season awards do tonight. Not on this forum which is more honest. | | | |
| Dorking on 21:21 - Apr 13 with 1607 views | James1980 |
| Dorking on 21:12 - Apr 13 by 442Dale |
See above, James. Some people, including the manager, are overthinking the whole situation. Any club with a board with little football knowledge are irrelevant at present.
Understand the fanbase, understand your players, understand what works.
It’s that simple. |
Is there a risk of a disconnect between the youth/academy squads and the first team though? | |
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| Dorking on 21:24 - Apr 13 with 1597 views | 442Dale |
| Dorking on 21:14 - Apr 13 by Sandyman |
I doubt few, or even none of the remarks previously made by supporters amount to hyperbole. They seem to be well observed and astute comments on where we are, what fans perceive, and what we think we could see that is better.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hyperbole
"Meaning of hyperbole in English
a way of speaking or writing that makes someone or something sound bigger, better, more, etc. than they are:
The blurb on the back of the book was full of the usual hyperbole - "enthralling", "fascinating", and so on."
We heard a lot of that from the presenter at the end of season awards do tonight. Not on this forum which is more honest. |
Oh I know, there is little hyperbole amongst a majority of the fanbase hence my comments about how the manager has to recognise where he’s falling short of the “total options” we were told we’d witness.
Can hyperbole be negative? Genuine questio. Some do that! Then disappear… but not those who post their valid concerns about what we are seeing. | |
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| Dorking on 21:32 - Apr 13 with 1562 views | 442Dale |
| Dorking on 21:21 - Apr 13 by James1980 |
Is there a risk of a disconnect between the youth/academy squads and the first team though? |
I don’t know or really care. Because the emphasis should be on effective football.
The game is far removed from what I think is entertaining or effective these days, so maybe I’m the dinosaur. But even now I truly believe there’s a way to play in a skilful, productive way that helps to make players better.
If Keith Hill circa 2007 was around today, he could change the entire game at lower levels. Now that might sound like hyperbole, but it is what’s required in L1/2/NL to actually see a real shift away from clubs/boards/managers who believe that all of a sudden there’s one way to play.
That Keith Hill would have us or any team causing havoc. Unfortunately, that Keith Hill got lost within the changes in the game too. There’s still a chance for that Hill-type person to step up now though. | |
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| Dorking on 21:40 - Apr 13 with 1521 views | James1980 |
| Dorking on 21:32 - Apr 13 by 442Dale |
I don’t know or really care. Because the emphasis should be on effective football.
The game is far removed from what I think is entertaining or effective these days, so maybe I’m the dinosaur. But even now I truly believe there’s a way to play in a skilful, productive way that helps to make players better.
If Keith Hill circa 2007 was around today, he could change the entire game at lower levels. Now that might sound like hyperbole, but it is what’s required in L1/2/NL to actually see a real shift away from clubs/boards/managers who believe that all of a sudden there’s one way to play.
That Keith Hill would have us or any team causing havoc. Unfortunately, that Keith Hill got lost within the changes in the game too. There’s still a chance for that Hill-type person to step up now though. |
Wanting to football teams to death, I believe, was the phrase BBM attributed to Hill.
Who was responsible for the blue print of the academy? [Post edited 13 Apr 21:43]
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| Dorking on 21:43 - Apr 13 with 1505 views | sxdale |
| Dorking on 21:04 - Apr 13 by James1980 |
Sorry for repeating myself but what some of you want will require a marked change in tactics from bottom to top throughout the age groups. The ethos is 'Possession based' so if JM is given his marching orders the new head coach/manager will be expected to play possession based football. |
Nothing wrong with possession based, it's the pedestrian paced over playing at the back until we lose the ball and invite pressure on ourselves that frustrates the fans. (or at least this fan) | | | |
| Dorking on 21:47 - Apr 13 with 1480 views | 442Dale |
| Dorking on 21:40 - Apr 13 by James1980 |
Wanting to football teams to death, I believe, was the phrase BBM attributed to Hill.
Who was responsible for the blue print of the academy? [Post edited 13 Apr 21:43]
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The ultimate ‘football teams to death’ came against the likes of Bradford and Rotherham when we played direct, attacking football with defenders who knew to get into the forwards.
Prior to that we’d done it three years previously when we were near the bottom of the league. The game has been over-thought and confused in my opinion. Should we choose to commit to ‘total options’ and go against the grain, it’ll rip up the modern football rulebook. McNulty has that opportunity. | |
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| Dorking on 22:12 - Apr 13 with 1399 views | sxdale |
| Dorking on 21:47 - Apr 13 by 442Dale |
The ultimate ‘football teams to death’ came against the likes of Bradford and Rotherham when we played direct, attacking football with defenders who knew to get into the forwards.
Prior to that we’d done it three years previously when we were near the bottom of the league. The game has been over-thought and confused in my opinion. Should we choose to commit to ‘total options’ and go against the grain, it’ll rip up the modern football rulebook. McNulty has that opportunity. |
All this is true but when we play 75% of the game at walking pace it's total boredom. We had a brief period just before the enforced Christmas break when it seemed to click and I thought we could kick on. Unfortunately the opposite happened and we started back from square 1 with the players apparently fearful of taking a gamble. Hayes excepted. | | | |
| Dorking on 22:26 - Apr 13 with 1336 views | EllDale |
I don’t want us to go to the other extreme but does anyone else remember the time in the first half when Dale were pressing and won a corner. It was taken short and the ball ended up back in our half.
Result - pressure off and crowd frustrated. | | | |
| Dorking on 22:42 - Apr 13 with 1253 views | D_Alien |
| Dorking on 22:12 - Apr 13 by sxdale |
All this is true but when we play 75% of the game at walking pace it's total boredom. We had a brief period just before the enforced Christmas break when it seemed to click and I thought we could kick on. Unfortunately the opposite happened and we started back from square 1 with the players apparently fearful of taking a gamble. Hayes excepted. |
Indeed. The one game i can say i've really enjoyed this entire season is the 2-2 draw at the Shay just before Christmas
Great pre-game pubs, a proper atmosphere, controversial decisions and two sides taking the game to each other. For any fans not old enough to remember, that's how it used to be win lose or draw, successful or not
I can't watch the way it's gone since, nor will any amount of marketing lure others to do so
Put that right first, then - and only then - will we have our Dale back | |
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