Millwall v Coventry match thread

[Deleted member 1829]

Not how I see it. He didn't say we are all thickos. He said the thickos are thickos. He probably shouldn't have said it but he was obviously riled by something or some people. He takes dogs abuse down by the dugout when we're losing. I'd say his comment was aimed at a small number of fans that have touched a nerve and are relentless when things ain't going our way. I'm certainly not offended by his words and purely because I believe they are describing a very small number of our fans that sit in a particular area and don't hold back when venting their thoughts and feelings.

He didn't say we're all thickos. To say he called us all thickos is an opinion and not a fact. When I first read about the incident the first thing that came to mind was that he was referring to whoever was cutting him off and not just yesterday but every home game. Like I've said on another thread, it's relentless at times down by the dugout. Funking brutal at times and delivered with venom that should be solely used on the oppo .

I think a bit of context and consideration for the pressured environment that managers find themselves in should be afforded before we make judgements.

He has also dug out the recruitment and younger players in his post match interviews, all after games we have lost.

You’d think after a good run unbeaten there should be a bit more harmony within the club. I think Harris has resented not being in control of what players were brought in and has started throwing his toys out the pram.

 

[Kryan Bing]

You’ve clearly got a bee in your bonnet about my comments and I’m sure you don’t read them properly

My comment about Murray playing it back to Jensen wasn’t from the kickoff but a couple of minutes into the game

The comparison with Teddy is ridiculous, Teddy played up front with Tony C, both were over 6ft and and favourites to win a contested ball in the air with the other looking to run onto the inevitable flick-on. Jensen launching a ball at pint size Langstaff is never likely to have anywhere near the same results as when Teddy and Tony played.

Throw-in The Doc had Jimmy, George and Kevin flying down the wings also providing ammunition for the big 2 and the ability to get the best out of his players, so it’s hardly surprising his tactics were successful.

Like every poster on here I recognise Harris is Millwall through and through and “one of our own” but that doesn’t cloud my judgement.

When I post on here I try to, hopefully, limit my comments to tactics, performance etc and not slag off other posters.

Unfortunately, others rather than put forward an effective counter-argument feel the necessity to attack the poster

I for one, find it interesting reading your (and a few others) opinions on the club and matches (pre and post). Both in these times and historically. I don't always agree, but you do not c**t/slag off players, the coach or posters in any personal manner or way.

In my view, you put forward decent footballing arguments, opinions, likes and dislikes. All perfectly, good human instinct responses. People are allowed not to like certain players or coaches' performances, regardless of other opinions. Christ, pundits do it all the time in the media and are often disagreeing. And they are the supposed professionals!! The Gonk saga proves that.

- After all, before forums these football discussions and arguments happened all the time on the terraces and in pubs. Nothing's changed really. The old place was equally as hostile at times towards players and managers. Probably more so. People seem to forget that (well the younger ones wouldn't know).

Regardless of what Harris said yesterday, I thought it was a terrible performance on many levels, from the players and to a certain extent, the head coach. They all need to own yesterday, put it down to a bad day, and try and put it right next week.

The name calling of certain elements of supporters was understandable, probably born out of frustration, I get that - but publicly, also very unprofessional. My raised eyebrows and chin scratching was more to do with when Neil Harris was digging out two young players (again publicly), that possibly was not great man management. That should have been done in the dressing room and/or the training ground (IMO).

But then again, he's said he few odd things recently regarding certain elements of the squad, like he has some kind of grievance with the recruitment that went on earlier in the season.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see the old get out of jail card soon...
"I've taken the team as far as I can..."

 

[wonderwall]

I said before the season started I didnt think Harris would last until Christmas, not because we would be in the bottom three but because our fan base would pipe up again and he wont hang about when they do.
By the thicko comments etc he knows some already are getting under his skin and after how it all ended last time no way will he let it go that far again. We had a forward thinking manager that everyone cried out for when they got Edwards in and look how that panned out. We signed a decent forward with a record of something like 70 goals in two season even though at a lower level. I like him what I have seen but he should at least be getting a couple of those shots he is blazing over on target. We seem to have more shots in games (not yesterday) than we have done for a long time and I have probably enjoyed more games than not since NH came back.
I think we are always going to be a team that nicks wins rather than trouncing anyone under NH and loses a fair few as well, surely we all knew that when he came back. Fair play to him for coming back after the abuse he got last time, he must love the club to have set himself up for that again, I wasnt sure it was the right decision but we were going down before he came there is no doubt about it. Some people go in way over the top on him, but they did that with Rowett after a pretty stable period for us of being a top half championship side.
I sit around people who seem to only go to call players out as soon as we kick off. The things we laughed at other teams about their followings is becoming a reality at our place. Yesterday was poor, theres nothing wrong with being able to say that, but to be halfway at this stage with the run of games we have just gone through isnt too bad.
Lots of teams get results by playing very dull football and hoping to score from a counter attack, thats just the way the game is now and the players are coached even if its not a good watch. I think that will be the same style whoever manages us with out limited ability and budget if we want to survive in the Champioship.

 

[STWall]

Clipped his ankles as well? camera angle from behind the goal showed it best, defender couldn't get near the ball but how could Saville end up going down the way he did if he wasn't fouled, Certain free kick if it was on the half way line.

Yep Saw the push and ankle tap too!

 

[STWall]

I for one, find it interesting reading your (and a few others) opinions on the club and matches (pre and post). Both in these times and historically. I don't always agree, but you do not c**t/slag off players, the coach or posters in any personal manner or way.

In my view, you put forward decent footballing arguments, opinions, likes and dislikes. All perfectly, good human instinct responses. People are allowed not to like certain players or coaches' performances, regardless of other opinions. Christ, pundits do it all the time in the media and are often disagreeing. And they are the supposed professionals!! The Gonk saga proves that.

- After all, before forums these football discussions and arguments happened all the time on the terraces and in pubs. Nothing's changed really. The old place was equally as hostile at times towards players and managers. Probably more so. People seem to forget that (well the younger ones wouldn't know).

Regardless of what Harris said yesterday, I thought it was a terrible performance on many levels, from the players and to a certain extent, the head coach. They all need to own yesterday, put it down to a bad day, and try and put it right next week.

The name calling of certain elements of supporters was understandable, probably born out of frustration, I get that - but publicly, also very unprofessional. My raised eyebrows and chin scratching was more to do with when Neil Harris was digging out two young players (again publicly), that possibly was not great man management. That should have been done in the dressing room and/or the training ground (IMO).

But then again, he's said he few odd things recently regarding certain elements of the squad, like he has some kind of grievance with the recruitment that went on earlier in the season.

It wouldn't surprise me if we see the old get out of jail card soon...
"I've taken the team as far as I can..."

The final paragraph

 

[SEL]

But this is exactly it. All we've head recently is "Why not play Langstaff, Bradshaw ain't at this level anymore, why do have a £3m striker on the bench"
Well, we saw exactly why. Langstaff had 4 shots, all miles over the bar, Ivanovic didn't touch the ball.
The thing about Harris being reactive. Actually the subs were ready to come on when they scored. It wasn't in reacton to them scoring.
As I've said, it makes no difference what the line up is or what the formation is if you can't make a simple pass to a teammate 10 yards away.

I actually didn't make that connection about the subs when thinking back about the game. I wonder if the goal changed his mind about what to do. Possibly, possibly not.
And you are right about the passing it was woeful. But if that is the case why throw Ivanovich on at all, just to fail?
Anyway I'm not digging out Harris, don't think anyone got much right yesterday players and the manager. All to blame.

 

[STWall]

I said before the season started I didnt think Harris would last until Christmas, not because we would be in the bottom three but because our fan base would pipe up again and he wont hang about when they do.
By the thicko comments etc he knows some already are getting under his skin and after how it all ended last time no way will he let it go that far again. We had a forward thinking manager that everyone cried out for when they got Edwards in and look how that panned out. We signed a decent forward with a record of something like 70 goals in two season even though at a lower level. I like him what I have seen but he should at least be getting a couple of those shots he is blazing over on target. We seem to have more shots in games (not yesterday) than we have done for a long time and I have probably enjoyed more games than not since NH came back.
I think we are always going to be a team that nicks wins rather than trouncing anyone under NH and loses a fair few as well, surely we all knew that when he came back. Fair play to him for coming back after the abuse he got last time, he must love the club to have set himself up for that again, I wasnt sure it was the right decision but we were going down before he came there is no doubt about it. Some people go in way over the top on him, but they did that with Rowett after a pretty stable period for us of being a top half championship side.
I sit around people who seem to only go to call players out as soon as we kick off. The things we laughed at other teams about their followings is becoming a reality at our place. Yesterday was poor, theres nothing wrong with being able to say that, but to be halfway at this stage with the run of games we have just gone through isnt too bad.
Lots of teams get results by playing very dull football and hoping to score from a counter attack, thats just the way the game is now and the players are coached even if its not a good watch. I think that will be the same style whoever manages us with out limited ability and budget if we want to survive in the Champioship.

“I think that will be the same style whoever manages us with our limited ability and budget if we want to survive in the Championship.” How do you square that with the way Ipswich have risen?

 

[boris the spider]

Yesterday was like watching us in the last days of his last tenure. He’s learnt nothing said he’d learnt when he came back but he’s clearly learned nothing. His comments about those who pay his wages were a disgrace and throwing the young players under the bus equally so. I was neither a lover or hater of Harris to be honest I was ambivalent. But those comments and 95 minutes at home without a shot on target against a shit team isn’t good. The views on here are interesting as I was in a well known Millwall pub after the game when the “thickos” comment came out in the media and universally people were livid. A good pal of mine who is a Harris devotee was angrier with him than anyone yet on here people don’t seem that bothered which is strange in comparison to the reaction I saw when it broke

 

[STWall]

First loss in 10 games and sadly I see it being followed by two more consecutively unless something changes. I think we’d all like to see us have a go like the last 10 mins v Coventry even if we lost. Let’s go down fighting throughout not at the death! Such tactics are borne of desperation.

Millwall - Transfer news, results, fixtures, video and audio

The home of Millwall on BBC Sport online. Includes the latest news stories, transfers, results, fixtures, video and audio.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Old Ned]

And Charlton drew with the mighty Lincoln yesterday. If it wasn't for Harris that could have been us.

 

[Ilderton Wanderer]

What gets me is every summer people constantly say that as long as we stay in division whilst giving out a few bloody noses to the premiership wannabes that’ll do fine, a mid table finish and we’re happy.

Well here we are doing just that, we are showing all the characteristics of a competent championship team yet the first sign of a few injuries and suspensions contributing to a poor performance people are demanding the manager gets sacked, it’s ridiculous.

 

[Gaeilge Millwall]

What gets me is every summer people constantly say that as long as we stay in division whilst giving out a few bloody noses to the premiership wannabes that’ll do fine, a mid table finish and we’re happy.

Well here we are doing just that, we are showing all the characteristics of a competent championship team yet the first sign of a few injuries and suspensions contributing to a poor performance people are demanding the manager gets sacked, it’s ridiculous.

I W, I completely agree and have said it before. This is exactly what a mid table team looks like.

Blame the thickos

 

[wonderwall]

“I think that will be the same style whoever manages us with our limited ability and budget if we want to survive in the Championship.” How do you square that with the way Ipswich have risen?

Maybe better players? They played some lovely football when they were in the Chamionship, my point being if he had come to Millwall he wouldnt have got, Cooper, Hutch, Danny Mac, Sav, Honeyman, Bradhsaw and the likes to be able to play that way. I dont think they are or will ever be those types of players. So you have to try and work out the most effective way you can to work with what you have. Rowett did it but it was horrible to watch at times admittedly. Edwards tried to get them playing a different way and it was a disaster.

The problem is the Harris haters will always pipe up when we lose and the lovers will call out the haters when we win. Thats the way it is. I just hated what happened to NH last time he was here and although it was time for change the stick he got was out of order and I can see it happening again.

 

[Deleted member 2252]

He has also dug out the recruitment and younger players in his post match interviews, all after games we have lost.

You’d think after a good run unbeaten there should be a bit more harmony within the club. I think Harris has resented not being in control of what players were brought in and has started throwing his toys out the pram.

I'd have thought he'd be quite happy and content with a 9 game unbeaten run before going into yesterday's game. I see very little in regards to interviews and post match comments. There isn't much you can take from heat of the moment retorts, evasive replies and deflection.

My opinion is that if he feels undermined and unhappy he would of walked by now. I think he probably will at some point but not because of the board/ lack of backing. It will only take two or three defeats in succession for the vociferous numpties in the crowd to turn it all toxic just as they did with Rowett. Once that happens it's game over cause Harris will walk .

I said at the time of Rowett being turned on that it set a bad precedent and will happen each time the self entitled amongst us are not happy. Unless we get someone in that can take us to the play offs they'll be on a hiding to nothing and hounded out fairly sharpish.

Fans have short memories nowadays and very little patience. Unfortunately and with the help of social media they can have a fair bit of clout and that worries me.

First loss in 10 games and sadly I see it being followed by two more consecutively unless something changes.

Millwall - Transfer news, results, fixtures, video and audio

The home of Millwall on BBC Sport online. Includes the latest news stories, transfers, results, fixtures, video and audio.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[robbo555]

Defeats are so much harder to take for me these days. Back in the day if we lost I'd still be gutted but far more likely to say we played shit, had an off day and put it to bed and look forward to the next game.

Yesterday evening I was so angry, like ridiculously so. That feeling when your entire body is full of rage. Maybe it's because in the modern day with the poring over of all the after-match quotes, interviews, forums, social media, analysis and opinions so you actually end up reliving the defeat again and again.

Or it could just be I need to grow the fuck up and stop being an idiot.

 

[STWall]

“So just a reminder to people, the thickos, that when you take the three best players out of the team that that this is Millwall football club.”

‘We just lacked quality’ – Neil Harris on Millwall’s performance during 1-0 loss to Coventry

MILLWALL boss Neil Harris said his side "had a lot of learning in front of us" after they lost 1-0

southwarknews.co.uk

 

[cold blow]

Defeats are so much harder to take for me these days. Back in the day if we lost I'd still be gutted but far more likely to say we played shit, had an off day and put it to bed and look forward to the next game.

Yesterday evening I was so angry, like ridiculously so. That feeling when your entire body is full of rage. Maybe it's because in the modern day with the poring over of all the after-match quotes, interviews, forums, social media, analysis and opinions so you actually end up reliving the defeat again and again.

Or it could just be I need to grow the fuck up and stop being an idiot.

No mate i think the majority on here feel exactly the same because we are passionate about our club.

 

[Edward Alistair]

“I think that will be the same style whoever manages us with our limited ability and budget if we want to survive in the Championship.” How do you square that with the way Ipswich have risen?

So how do Norwich square it that they are joint 10th with us despite having a wage bill twice the size and previously had an income 100's of millions more than us?
They play some great attacking football that some of our lot expect but how come they lost 3-0 to QPR and are level with us?
For every good example there is a poor one, perhaps Ipswich got lucky just like Luton did, time will tell.

 

[Brusselslion]

The last two performances have been poor, but prior to that we had played pretty well in most games.

I wouldn't criticise Harris too much for the team he sent out yesterday; especially the defence where he had little choice. I thought Murray would struggle but one brain fade aside, he did well and was probably out best defender. I also thought the timing of the subs was ok; maybe slightly late replacing Sav and De Norre who both had shockers, but Emarku and the Serb got close on 30 mins to impress (Emarku did; Ivan less so).

Where I would criticise Harris is for his post-match comments. Calling out the fans isn't too clever but fairly incidental. Effectively stating publicly that some players aren't good enough and lamenting the absence of injured/ suspended players is imo pretty piss poor management. But maybe I'm one of the thickos.

 

[Deleted member 2252]

“So just a reminder to people, the thickos, that when you take the three best players out of the team that that this is Millwall football club.”

‘We just lacked quality’ – Neil Harris on Millwall’s performance during 1-0 loss to Coventry

MILLWALL boss Neil Harris said his side "had a lot of learning in front of us" after they lost 1-0

southwarknews.co.uk

It's not great from him but he was clearly angry/ affected by the abuse for him to have a pop in his after match interview. I definitely think that his comments and thicko insult is aimed at a select few and not the fan base as a whole. I don't get the hollier than thou and faux outrage that has followed. I actually think it's a bit mischievous and snide to be portraying it as an attack on our whole fan base. His words appear to me as a response to those that were berating him near the dugout.

It clearly rattled him so I pressure it wasn't an isolated incident but relentless and intense. Yes he should be more professional but I'll be fucked if I'm going to condemn or vilify our manager for saying a hurty word that is clearly directed at some so called fans that have been abusing and provoking him whilst he tries to do his job.

Similar happened a few year back when he told someone to fuck off to Palace. It seems okay to stay off and abuse our manager. But once they give a bit back it's not okay and the recipient is crying wolf on social media whilst going full on scouser/ victim.