I didn't get chance to listen to much of today's game, but did catch bits of it. Pissed off at letting a two goal lead slip, but then I come on here and everybody seems to think it's Chris Turners fault, why?

That's a genuine question. As far as I can see we seem to have a bunch of players who CAN perform WHEN they want to, if things are going their way they are happy and pulling their weight, as soon as it goes against them they don't have the ability to fight for each other and turn round a situation. Or they can't be arsed, one of the two.

I went to Carlisle, we looked shite on the night, let an average Carlisle side plunder three goals that a team with leaders would not have let happen. Against Millwall from the start we did what we've done for the last month, got ahead, we even got a second and then a third, the players where clearly confident, although I dread to think what would have happened in Millwall had been more clinical.

Today, fuck knows, 2-0 up and I would GUESS they thought, 'fuck it, we are the bollocks, that's five goals without reply, this ones in the bag'. Where as the Southend players where refusing to accept the game was over at half time and came out and give it there all.

Which bit of all this is Chris Turners fault, poor bloke must be doing his head in tonight, how many times has he set the team up right, ie we've taken the lead, only to see his side not have the fight and bottle to hold onto a winning position?

Have you actually been checking out the results lately? or reading the forum on a regular basis?

Because Turner is clueless when it comes to motivation or tactics amongst other things

Yes I do both regularly.

What evidence is there that Chris Turner can't motivate his team, or that's his tactically having difficulties. His side have repeatedly taken the lead in games, both at home and away. So they are doing things right from the first minute, that's from work Chris Turner has done with them. Once they are on the pitch a manager can do little to affect the game. In my opinion of course.

You have three chances to change a game, that's all, and those three chances are players who aren't good enough to start a game, so the chances of them changing a game must be slim.

Lack of fitness to see it through to 90 minutes?

Come on Chip, 80% of a managers work must be done during the week on the training pitch and in his office.

You can rant and rave on the touchline as much as you like, some players won't respond to that sort of management, they respond to the things that happen during the week, before the game and after the game. You've played more football than me, so I'm not saying what I think is anything more than a fan trying to get his head around how and why a team can take a lead so many times and come off the pitch losing the game.

If you reckon I'm wrong, fair enough. But there must be a reason why we start games well but finish them badly. Am I supposed to believe that Chris Turner knows how to set a team up but then doesn't have a fucking clue what to do when the opposition gets a goal back. Or are you not even crediting him with the ability to set his team up correctly, is it just luck that we've taken the lead some many times recently?

To be honest, the manager takes the plaudits when it goes right, so when it goes wrong he has to carry the can. HE is in charge overall and like a ships captain, takes overall responsibility regardless of which individual let the side down.
If players aren't responding, it's obvious the manager is not capable of doing his job. If the Governor can't govern, he's an ex Governor.

Turner has assembled this team and he is responsible for any failings. He bought a lot of players in the Summer and the vast majority are doing fck all to help our cause.

That's fair enough, I agree with that.

One thing Chris Turner can't deny, this is HIS team, he built it, he picks it, if it doesn't work he gets the blame.

BUT, it's working for half a game most weeks, he must be doing his nut in trying to work out what happens in their tiny little minds as soon as we get a goal in front.

This has been said ad nauseam. The management team are just not good enough. Other managers/coaches have an ability to recognise weaknesses and exploit them, Turner hasn't.
If we go in front we are all nervous, even when we're two or three in front. If we go behind, we've got no chance.
There is only one man who can change this scenario.............the manager............we haven't got one.
I'll tell you this...............it either changes or I change my match day habits................cos I am right royally fed up.

Im also at the point when i cant be arsed to go. In fact last week i set off to the pub on Saturday morning with no idea who we were even playing. But while i have a season ticket il keep going but if things stay like this then they will need a VERY good season ticket scheme to make me buy one next year.

I know people say we need a hard, nasty man in midfield bit id much rather see one in the managers dugout.

As far as i see the situation Turner & West have a Plan A & Hoofball, its obvious that other teams Management & Coaches have the ability change tactics during the game or at Half-Time they'll have Plans B,C & D etc to nullify the way the oppostion are playing, and we are unable to respond by making tactical changes in reply.
Turner&West are ok at spotting a decent player but they're clueless on how to get the best out players individually and tactically as a team, and until IOR & Uncle Ken realise this Pools will stay in the Mid to Lower reaches of Lge1.

do you have a monster midfielder who can stop the opposition in its tracks. Someone who is prepared to stick the boot in?

We have a midfield that would be more suited to the Royal Ballet. Delightful in patches, but as ruthless and intimidating as the Chuckle Brothers in a coma.

Dec 13th 2003

Manager : Neale Cooper

Nationwide Football League Division Two
P HW HD HL HF HA AW AD AL AF AA Pts GD
1. Queens Park Rangers 21 8 3 0 26 3 3 5 2 13 12 41 24
2. Plymouth Argyle 21 6 3 1 23 10 5 4 2 22 15 40 20
3. Brighton and Hove Albion 21 7 2 2 19 9 3 3 4 13 15 35 8
4. Barnsley 21 5 6 0 15 8 4 1 5 14 18 34 3
5. Colchester United 21 6 3 2 14 10 4 1 5 12 18 34 -2
6. Luton Town 21 7 2 1 21 11 2 4 5 13 22 33 1
7. Bournemouth 21 5 5 1 18 12 3 3 4 10 11 32 5
8. Port Vale 21 7 2 1 19 12 2 3 6 8 14 32 1
9. Bristol City 21 5 4 1 16 7 2 6 3 10 11 31 8
10. HARTLEPOOL UNITED 21 5 5 0 18 4 3 2 6 15 24 31 5
11. Wrexham 21 4 4 3 11 7 5 0 5 13 15 31 2
12. Blackpool 21 5 0 6 14 13 4 3 3 11 15 30 -3
13. Rushden & Diamonds 21 5 3 3 22 16 3 2 5 14 17 29 3
14. Swindon Town 21 4 4 3 19 13 3 3 4 10 14 28 2
15. Grimsby Town 21 4 2 4 15 9 3 4 4 10 19 27 -3
16. Brentford 21 5 1 4 16 17 3 2 6 8 14 27 -7
17. Sheffield Wednesday 21 2 5 3 11 12 4 3 4 13 15 26 -3
18. Tranmere Rovers 21 5 3 2 14 9 1 5 5 8 21 26 -8
19. Oldham Athletic 21 4 2 4 15 13 1 6 4 16 20 23 -2
20. Stockport County 21 1 5 5 14 20 3 4 3 14 16 21 -8
21. Peterborough United 21 0 4 6 13 19 4 4 3 11 12 20 -7
22. Notts County 21 3 3 5 12 12 2 2 6 7 19 20 -12
23. Chesterfield 21 2 5 4 12 13 0 3 7 4 16 14 -13
24. Wycombe Wanderers 21 2 2 6 14 18 0 5 6 8 18 13 -14


Pools 10th Bunker verdict- The man is a real motivator, a management genius.


December 13th 2009

Manager: Chris Turner

Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS
1 Leeds United 20 7 3 0 21 6 7 2 1 16 4 27 47
2 Charlton 21 8 2 0 22 8 5 4 2 17 12 19 45
3 Norwich 21 7 2 1 26 13 4 4 3 19 14 18 39
4 Colchester 21 8 1 1 18 7 3 5 3 17 12 16 39
5 Huddersfield 21 8 3 0 33 8 2 2 6 12 17 20 35
6 Bristol Rovers 21 7 1 3 16 12 4 0 6 16 20 0 34
7 MK Dons 21 5 2 3 16 13 5 1 5 13 17 -1 33
8 Millwall 21 7 3 1 20 9 1 5 4 9 13 7 32
9 Swindon 19 4 4 1 11 9 4 3 3 13 16 -1 31
10 Walsall 21 4 4 2 17 11 4 2 5 13 16 3 30
11 Carlisle 21 5 1 5 14 13 2 5 3 14 17 -2 27
12 Hartlepool 21 4 2 4 11 10 3 3 5 17 18 0 26
13 Southend 21 5 3 3 14 13 2 2 6 11 15 -3 26
14 Southampton 21 5 4 2 20 12 4 4 2 18 13 13 25
15 Yeovil 21 4 5 2 20 16 1 4 5 7 15 -4 24
16 Oldham 21 3 4 4 11 14 3 2 5 6 11 -8 24
17 Brentford 21 4 5 2 14 12 1 3 6 5 13 -6 23
18 Gillingham 21 6 3 1 17 5 0 1 10 8 26 -6 22
19 Exeter 21 3 5 2 14 10 2 2 7 9 21 -8 22
20 Leyton Orient 21 4 3 4 16 15 2 1 7 9 22 -12 22
21 Brighton 21 2 1 8 11 21 3 4 3 13 18 -15 20
22 Wycombe 21 3 2 5 9 11 1 3 7 11 23 -14 17
23 Tranmere 21 4 1 5 13 17 1 1 9 6 26 -24 17
24 Stockport 20 1 2 7 9 22 2 3 5 8 14 -19 14

Pools 12th Bunker verdict: The man is a clown. A fool with no tactical knowledge or ability to motivate.

So apparently then there are 2 league positions and 5 points between being a superb manager and a useless one

Some people on here need to get a grip. It's disappointing to lose a game, particularly after leading. But that doesn't make Turner a nazi war criminal.

If you want something to moan on about imagine that you are Sussex having to deal with not only supporting an utterly doomed team but being a retard as well!

You don't get it do you? , Fan base is falling, the football is awful 9 times out of ten, No Plan B or C, STUPID substitutions at wrong times.. Then blame's the fans for voicing concern.. But if your happy to plod along with Turner on sub 3000 crowds then keep preaching mate.

Just out of curiousity too.. Since your comparing, Can you put FA Cup on there aswell as Johnstones Paint / LDV Trophy?
As HUFCPoolie says - You just dont get it do you?

That season in question, I think it was, was when we had a pea hearted display against Blackpool away and got rolled over 4-0, Cooper comes out and says thats not good enough, Not what I expect. They will be training on Sunday now. He disciplined the team and could - keyword here MOTIVATE the team. Turner doesnt have that. He's been in charge for a year now and what has he actually done to convince us that he's the man for the job?

Even fans like Fetish Bob are getting narked, Thats when you gotta seriously question is Turner the man for the job

Explain to me what I don't get.

Turner inherited a garbage,dull team.

He brought back Boyd - superb move.

He addressed the goalkeeping crisis getting rid of two poor keepers and bringing in a very good one

He addressed the problem of two identical centre backs hindering each other by getting rid of the poorer of the two and putting a player wasted in midfield in his best position.

He saw that whilst Ritchie could be adequate at full back that he was better elsewhere.

He saw that we needed to address the fullback problem by bringing in a player (Neil Austin) so good that people stood around me last week on the terrace were saying he was probably better than any they'd seen over the last 25 years.

He has strengthened the forward line meaning that we never have to see Foley or Mackay.

We are 12th in league one. What am I not getting?

That he cannot motivate the players? The fans are voting with their feet? The football is awful 9 times out of ten, a manager who is completly clueless The only thing Turner is good at is spotting a bargain and again he was well supported by IOR for that. Time for Turner to step down.

Id actually reply with my comments on this post but I simply cant be bothered to, Ill wait for PJ's or someone elses comments

Have to diagree about the problem of two identical centre backs. Chris Turner offered Nelson a new contract - It was Nelson's decision to leave the club - not Turners decision. And I suspect the main reason that Liddle ended up in defence was more good luck than good management. In the pre season games three centre halfs were unavailable - Collins and Clark due to injury, and Hartley due to covering at left-back. Would Gary Liddle really have started the season in defence otherwise?

All sides with claims for a high placing have someone in their team that can put the foot in.

pde147, you ask the question, well here is the answer...........

Nationwide Football League Division Two
P HW HD HL HF HA AW AD AL AF AA Pts GD

1. Plymouth Argyle 46 17 5 1 52 13 9 7 7 33 28 90 44
2. Queens Park Rangers 46 16 7 0 47 12 6 10 7 33 33 83 35
3. Bristol City 46 15 6 2 34 12 8 7 8 24 25 82 21
4. Brighton and Hove Albion 46 17 4 2 39 11 5 7 11 25 32 77 21
5. Swindon Town 46 12 7 4 41 23 8 6 9 35 35 73 18
6. HARTLEPOOL UNITED 46 10 8 5 39 24 10 5 8 37 37 73 15
7. Port Vale 46 15 6 2 45 28 6 4 13 28 35 73 10
8. Tranmere Rovers 46 13 7 3 36 18 4 9 10 23 38 67 3
9. Bournemouth 46 11 8 4 35 25 6 7 10 21 26 66 5
10. Luton Town 46 14 6 3 44 27 3 9 11 25 39 66 3
11. Colchester United 46 11 8 4 33 23 6 5 12 19 33 64 -4
12. Barnsley 46 7 12 4 25 19 8 5 10 29 39 62 -4
13. Wrexham 46 9 6 8 27 21 8 3 12 23 39 60 -10
14. Blackpool 46 9 5 9 31 28 7 6 10 27 37 59 -7
15. Oldham Athletic 46 9 8 6 37 25 3 13 7 29 35 57 6
16. Sheffield Wednesday 46 7 9 7 25 26 6 5 12 23 38 53 -16
17. Brentford 46 9 5 9 34 38 5 6 12 18 31 53 -17
18. Peterborough United 46 5 8 10 36 33 7 8 8 22 25 52 0
19. Stockport County 46 6 8 9 31 36 5 11 7 31 34 52 -8
20. Chesterfield 46 9 7 7 34 31 3 8 12 15 40 51 -22
21. Grimsby Town 46 10 5 8 36 26 3 6 14 19 55 50 -26
22. Rushden & Diamonds 46 9 5 9 37 34 4 4 15 23 40 48 -14
23. Notts County 46 6 9 8 32 27 4 3 16 18 51 42 -28
24. Wycombe Wanderers 46 5 7 11 31 39 1 12 10 19 36 37 -25




Do you see the final table this season being anything like this one that you are comparing managers with?

Strongly disagree.

'Turner inherited a garbage,dull team'

Weren't we 13th in the league when he took over? So if that team was garbage you must surely believe this team is garbage given that we're the 13th best performing team in League One. Was the 5-3 against Huddersfield dull? The 4-2 against Colchester? 4-1 against Cheltenham? The 3-3 against Oldham when I think they were top of the League? He inherited a team that was particularly weak at the back but was strong going forward. He wasn't a new manager who came who was starting from scratch, he'd been to every game that season. What did he go out and do in January? Signed the likes of Liam Henderson, Lewis Guy, Keigan Parker and a half fit (at best) Rune Lange. Not a defender in sight until Skarz arrived for the final half a dozen games. I'd be very surprised if he'd seen any of those players listed play before he went out and got them. We then survived relegation by one measly point. Wilson was a poor manager IMO but Turner was the man who took us from mid-table to near relegation. That performance at Bristol on the last day was the most disgusting I have ever seen from a Pools team. I can't remember where we were when he took over during the Scotty season but I am very confident we finished in a lower position than when he started, I certainly don't remember being in the relegation spot until he took over.

He brought back Boyd - superb move.

Superb? Have you been watching a different Adam Boyd to me. We all know Adam Boyd will score goals and 8 goals so far is a decent return but a superb move?? I can;t agree with that. Boydy has been as frustrating as ever and although the service hasn't been great, he looks disinterested in games and has struggled to impose himself in the majority of games he's featured in.

He addressed the goalkeeping crisis getting rid of two poor keepers and bringing in a very good one

Flinders has had a decent start, he's been protected by a decent defence for the start of the season and now he is being tested he is starting to look suspect. I hope the lad can regain his form because he is clearly low on confidence and some of the mistakes he been making recently have been Budtz/ALB esque. We also have nothing as backup which worries me why Turner thinks we are good enough to play with one experienced goalkeeper.

He addressed the problem of two identical centre backs hindering each other by getting rid of the poorer of the two and putting a player wasted in midfield in his best position

It took him over 6 months to realise this though, didn't it? A decent manager would have split Nelson and Collins up at Christmas last season and played Ben Clark there. It's this lack of tactical nous which makes me believe he is clueless. Full credit for the Collins and Liddle partnership though as they are working well together, just a shame it took so long with near disastorous consequences

He saw that whilst Ritchie could be adequate at full back that he was better elsewhere

Stevie Wonder could see that Richie was a rubbish full back. Again if I was manager that would have been my first priority in January but Turner thought it'd be better to go out and sign forward after forward. Skarz came in eventually and did a decent job but why wait so long? Why the fck wasn't it the first signing of the window? I don't think Richie Humphreys is a very good midfielder either, it's no coincedence that the central midfield is struggling since he has been moved there. I don't think moving Humphreys from a position where he was horrendous to a position where he is poor is a reason for a compliment.

He saw that we needed to address the fullback problem by bringing in a player (Neil Austin) so good that people stood around me last week on the terrace were saying he was probably better than any they'd seen over the last 25 years.

Agree. Turner's best signing and full credit for him to bringing him in. I'd be very surprised if he's isn't player of the season.

He has strengthened the forward line meaning that we never have to see Foley or Mackay

Foley has played in the last 2 weeks. The forward line for the last half an hour against Kettering didn't look very strong to me. Apart from Boydy who else do we have to put the ball in the net? Bjornsson looks extremely dodgy, Greulich clearly isn't ready but Turner has neglected this fact, Larkin has done OK but is he a long term option. Brownie is a fantastic centre forward but the doyle in charge has left him hugging the wing for the whole season. Another silly silly tactical error.

We are 12th in league one. What am I not getting?

We're technically 13th as Southampton till finish above us and we're just six points above the relegation spots. We've just had a run of games where we've played the likes of Southend (13th), Carlisle (11th), Orient (20th) and Brighton (21st), after Yeovil I'm sure you know we have the likes of Leeds twice (1st), Charlton (2nd), MK Dons (7th), Bristol Rovers (6th), Norwich (3rd), Huddersfield (5th), Southampton (technically 5th). Does that not frighten the crap out of you with the team Turner has? It does me. Do you believe that team has enough steel to get points against any of those sides? We might be going into that run in 12th but at the moment we're 6 points above relegation and I'd be massive surprised if that gap isn't shorter by the end of February. Turner has been in charge 12 months exactly now, Wilson's last game was 1 year ago today and things have got worse IMO. This is reflected by dwindling crowds and a real feel of apathy among even the most loyal supporters, he has the most pathetic tactical ability, his signings record is poor, his managerial record is rubbish and his lack of ability to sort problems out worries the shyte out of me.

It's OK burying your head in the sand saying 'we're 12th, whats the problem' but the bigger picture shows me that HUFC would prosper from having a manager that can manage, Chris Turner can't do this as proved by all the reasons listed above.

It's nothing personal, I just wish he'd fck off.

Yeovil gave us our first Home win a few weeks back. They are poor away so you should be able to beat them.
Check out my site if you fancy winning next seasons team shirt for free.

Ignoring the obvious contradiction.

Yes or no answers to the following questions please.

Is our goalkeeping situation improved on Wilsons team?

Are you happier with Hartley/Austin at fullback than Humphreys/Sweeney?

Are Collins and Liddle playing better than the Nelson/Collins combination?

Is a choice of Behan/Boyd/Bjonsson/Larkin/Brown an improvement on Brown/Foley/Mackay at striker?


We are currently weak in two areas central midfield and spirit. Losing Boland is a big blow but one the club planned for. Healy was the big target in the summer but was stolen at the last moment. We still need to strengthen there and I've no doubt that we will in January. Personally I would give Johnny Rowell a run in the side but then the next 4 aways are not the place for a kid.

How we get the spirit into this talented but faint-hearted team I don't know.

You say you don't know how to get spirit into this side
Have you any idea who is responsible for that?????
How many guesses do you want????

The issue for me is that you gain absolutely nothing apart from debt by sacking managers every 18 months.

The only club as small as us ever to make huge,significant progress despite a very small support base in my time watching football is Crewe. They achieved it by finding a man that the board trusted and leaving him there long enough to build a healthy youth system and , eventually, first team.

After 10 years Turner isn't shiny or new. But he does address the concerns most fans have. Going into the summer the issues were improve goalkeeping (done), sort out centre backs into working combination (done), bring in full-backs (partial success), improve strikers(done).

12th in league one. Last home game was a 3 goal beating of Millwall who are play-off contenders. And some people think it's a crisis.

I'm sorry making improvements to that defence is hardly the hardest job in the world, is it? We've also shipped a lot of goals recently so it's far from the wonder defence you're making it out to be. We're weaker going forward than when he took over and the stats support that. Losing Joel wasn't Turner's fault but I'm far from convinced about his efforts to replace him, he certainly hasn't helped himself by leaving our best striker on the right wing.

That will probably be only if Turner steps aside....

Ah, thought this was about Giggs winning sports personality of the year My mistake.

They don't give a fck about you, yer tw@t!

Honeslty mate, please don't make yourself look like a small team.
You could deny it, but they really do care, its a fact.

Turner is a proven failure in League One - cold stone hard undisputed FACT!!!!