" IN DEFENCE OF DAVE JONES "

This FORUM LETS EVERY ONE HAVE THEIR SAY and LETS FANS BACK DAVE JONES, I RESPECT EVERYONES OPINIONS


PLEASE READ and REPLY

Link here

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28894

This FORUM LETS EVERY ONE HAVE THEIR SAY and LETS FANS BACK DAVE JONES, I RESPECT EVERYONES OPINIONS


PLEASE READ and REPLY

Link here

http://www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk/viewt ... =2&t=28894

Bit of a read that but it does sort of bring some prespective to the debate regarding DJ position at the club. It would be stupid to suggest that whilst he is manager that we would be at risk of being relegated, I think most would accept that he is a good Championship manager and given the playing budget he has well it should be unthinkable.

But the aim of the club is promotion and I think it's important to remember it is the clubs aim as for us the supporter it is always our dream which we hope will one day come true. Unfortunately for DJ we as supporters see that he has the best playing squad in living memory and yet we are not comfortably in an automatic promotion place, yes we are second but does anyone not really think deep down we should be top 2 in our own rights.

Most I believe will say yes and some will say being top 2 is good enough as we are in a good position to kick on and make the automatic position our own. We ALL hope we do and if DJ is manager we will all probably write to the Pope and suggest his beatification.

However we are on a poor run and at the moment no signs of coming out of it, some will say the poor run is only over the last 7 games however we have won only 16 out of a possible 36 points against the bottom 12 clubs in the Championship. IMO dropping 20 points against the bottom 12 teams is not the sort of form after 21 games to fill me with confidence that automatic promotion is possible.

Many fans say give DJ this season and if he fails well he will have to go then but over the last 5 years only 2 teams out of 10 have gone on to win automatic promotion having secured fewer points after 21 games, Sunderland in 2006-2007 and Stoke City in 2007-2008 with -7 & -3 points respectively.

So it is possible to win automatic promotion from our current position but in 80% of the cases in the last 5 years we are heading for the playoffs. How many would regard that as a successful season, most of us believe we have a fantastic squad but our points total is 10 behind Newcastle last season, 10 behind Wolves and 7 behind Birmingham the season before and 13 behind Reading and 9 behind Sheffield Utd in 2005-2006.

History tells us we have at least 1 more blip to come and history also tells us that we are on the edge of making the automatic positions from our current position. So the question is how will people view the playoffs, probably a success if we ultimately get promoted and of course it would be, but for me the playoffs would represent the bare minimum for this squad.

I'm nervous at the moment and probably a few wins over Christmas will ease the nerves but I will be expecting the next blip and we simply cannot afford to have one. DJ says there lots of games left but I think there are fewer than any of us think and thats the biggest worry of all.

Should we be thinking of replacing him even though we are second well I think yes even though that in itself will bring risks with it. In defence of DJ for no other reason than his work in the previous 5 years he probably deserves the chance thats probably the least we could do for him.

But another failure would then have to bring and end to his time at the club, in fairness to everyone.

David Marshall (G)
Kevin McNaughton (D)
Lee Naylor (D)
Mark Hudson (D)
Gabor Gyepes (D)
Pete Whittingham (M)
Michael Chopra (F)
Stephen McPhail (M)
Paul Quinn (D)
Tom Heaton (G)
Darcy Blake (M)
Aaron Wildig (M)
Jordan Santiago (G)
Chris Riggott (D)
Jonathan Meades (M)
Aaron Morris (D)
Martin John (D)
Anthony Gerrard (D)
Nathaniel Jarvis (F)

Once the loanees and out of contracts have left our club, this will be what's left next May. Value wise it is pretty poor with only Chopra and Whittingham have any real market value.

On the up side I would imagine even with a big earner like Chopra, the wage bill wouldn't be that high.