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As someone tweeted long gone is the upbeat nature when he arrived, sounded tonight more like he wanted to jump off South Parade Pier.

The only explanation I can think of is that he had deals lined up but was let down. Whatever happened he looks like a right twat now for saying 'its gonna get exciting'. And also has shit players to get him through to the end of the season.

Not an unusual window for the eisners though.

perhaps not helped by being forced to play on deadline night. Seems a little unfair on us and Charlton

A man who knows he is 3 games from the chop perhaps. Oxford... ohhh eck... burton and then Donny. Lose that one and he is gone.

As non answers go this is hardly a ringing endorsement of O'Brien from the Hampshire Live post-match interview...



How long had you been interested in Aiden O'Brien for?

I think it was an opportunity for us to bring another player in.  It is always difficult in January to bring pemanents in.



We wanted to bring in players that had been playing or had been playing enough football and were physically ready to come in and impact.



We have to thank Sunderland, who have paid some of his money to allow the deal to happenand thank Aiden really for putting himself out there and be willing to take a short-term deal to be willing to play for this wonderful club.



At no point does Cowley even attempt to answer the actual question that was asked.

And I see Lewis Wing, the midfielder we couldn't afford, has moved to Wycombe on a permanent deal.

No idea why this posted twice.

And the missing midfielder we need and would’ve been a real fan moral booster went to fecking gillingham on a free

(31-01-2022, 11:42 PM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ]perhaps not helped by being forced to play on deadline night. Seems a little unfair on us and Charlton

The thing is that by that stage any negotiations are down to the backroom staff, fronted by Cullen (ffs...), so it shouldn't really matter that we had a game on.

The problems have been in the thirty days leading up to yesterday and despite the BS spouted about doing their work early, getting players in at the start of the window, etc., like everything these days at Pompey it's just waffle and soundbites.

Get used to it 'cos Tornante are going nowhere and I doubt the clueless PE teacher is either.

(01-02-2022, 09:10 AM)Rick Pumpkin Wrote: [ -> ]

(31-01-2022, 11:42 PM)Hammie Wrote: [ -> ]perhaps not helped by being forced to play on deadline night. Seems a little unfair on us and Charlton

The thing is that by that stage any negotiations are down to the backroom staff, fronted by Cullen (ffs...), so it shouldn't really matter that we had a game on.

The problems have been in the thirty days leading up to yesterday and despite the BS spouted about doing their work early, getting players in at the start of the window, etc., like everything these days at Pompey it's just waffle and soundbites.

Get used to it 'cos Tornante are going nowhere and I doubt the clueless PE teacher is either.

How long is cowleys contract? Was it a 2 year deal?

At the time he and his brother signed I recall Neil Allen saying it was a long-term deal, but cannot remember a specific length being given.  Just found this link and it says the club didn't disclose how long it was.

I have defended the Cowleys up to this point but am beginning to think that I was wrong to do so.

They talk a good game but their team selections are baffling and they seem tactically naive at times.

Apart from anything else, the attacking side of their game is woefully inadequate and they will drive all but the diehards (sadly I’m one of them) away if they are not careful.

Entertain us ffs.

Borrowed from Broadcaster Ian Darke, a Pompey fan........So the reality would seem to be that the Eisners will not pay for stadium upgrades AND the required improvements to the Pompey squad. Which leaves the club stuck in League One and, you’d imagine, the manager pretty frustrated.............Sums it up well I feel

(01-02-2022, 12:36 PM)Northstander Wrote: [ -> ]Borrowed from Broadcaster Ian Darke, a Pompey fan........So the reality would seem to be that the Eisners will not pay for stadium upgrades AND the required improvements to the Pompey squad. Which leaves the club stuck in League One and, you’d imagine, the manager pretty frustrated.............Sums it up well I feel

It is a Catch 22 situation

If they don't do the stadium upgrades large swathes of the ground will be shut down, when & if we do start doing well the fans & the money they generate won't be coming in.

The Eisners know that we have no chance of promotion or the playoffs this year so hold the money back. Then with the bigger earners off the wage bill in the summer plus a bit of investment they believe the Cowleys can make a really decent go of it next season.

I don’t think The Cowley’s are entitled to be frustrated, they knew exactly what they were signing up to when they signed up for this sh*t show (they even did a 12 match trial period).

They knew they would be managing Pompey under an EWWK scenario and presumably felt they could still succeed.

They had been unemployed for quite a while and Pompey was the only job on offer, the fact that their ‘tactics’ and team selections haven’t produced the result they, and the fans, expected is primarily their own fault.

Get on with it, you’re being paid, start earning your corn…..or clear off to pastures new.

I doubt that will happen . I can’t see them spending much on players. They lost at least £1M on Marquis. They’ll upgrade the whole ground as much as they can , then sell.

A shame they can't just sell now...

Always going to be a tough gig for the Cowleys. Jacket left them with a poor squad of bottlers not good enough to achieve promotion or play at a higher level and a youth set up with players not good enough for the bench.

Cowley has pursued good players but few want to come to FP, opting instead for the footballing giants of MK Dons, Wycombe etc. Looking increasingly like the instant success we want is going to take some time to arrive. Whilst not happy with the position we find ourselves in there are some decent players in the squad and if DC just played the best players, in their best position and in a formation that suited them then we might be more competitive and I might find it a bit easier to drag myself from the pub to the park.

(01-02-2022, 01:15 PM)The Realist Wrote: [ -> ]Always going to be a tough gig for the Cowleys.  Jacket left them with a poor squad of bottlers not good enough to achieve promotion or play at a higher level and a youth set up with players not good enough for the bench.

Cowley has pursued good players but few want to come to FP, opting instead for the footballing giants of MK Dons, Wycombe etc.  Looking increasingly like the instant success we want is going to take some time to arrive.  Whilst not happy with the position we find ourselves in there are some decent players in the squad and if DC just played the best players, in their best position and in a formation that suited them then we might be more competitive and I might find it a bit easier to drag myself from the pub to the park.

Playing three at the back is the real problem. Easily rectified.

(01-02-2022, 02:16 PM)TBP Wrote: [ -> ]

(01-02-2022, 01:15 PM)The Realist Wrote: [ -> ]Always going to be a tough gig for the Cowleys.  Jacket left them with a poor squad of bottlers not good enough to achieve promotion or play at a higher level and a youth set up with players not good enough for the bench.

Cowley has pursued good players but few want to come to FP, opting instead for the footballing giants of MK Dons, Wycombe etc.  Looking increasingly like the instant success we want is going to take some time to arrive.  Whilst not happy with the position we find ourselves in there are some decent players in the squad and if DC just played the best players, in their best position and in a formation that suited them then we might be more competitive and I might find it a bit easier to drag myself from the pub to the park.

Playing three at the back is the real problem. Easily rectified.

Playing badly is the problem. 

We have played approximately half of the games this season with a back four and half with a back three.  When we have played well we have won with both formations, and when we have played badly we have lost with both.  

It's a gross oversimplification to think that changing from a back three will solve all the problems at a stroke. It won't.

(01-02-2022, 02:16 PM)TBP Wrote: [ -> ]Playing three at the back is the real problem. Easily rectified.

Totally agree, with 3 at the back you are too reliant on your wing backs to create attacking football. If they are off form or the opposition force them back your whole game plan breaks down.

(01-02-2022, 09:07 AM)bluetagagain Wrote: [ -> ]And the missing midfielder we need and would’ve been a real fan moral booster went to fecking gillingham on a free

I suspect he was expecting to hear that Thompson had signed for us during the evening.

It really is down to the manager at present. Yes, he didn't get the signings he wanted for various reasons including money being released.

But we should be doing much better than we are with better formation, team selection & tactics.

He really has No idea & doesn't know his best formation or team selection.

We should be just off the play offs with half decent results but we're not due to basic tactical mistakes.

not helped by constant injuries. Perhaps the high press and running around endlessly has something to do with that.

Starting to wonder if the Cowleys have self limiting beliefs about being able to do it at a larger club so have paled back Pompey to familiar old Lincoln