Has TS lost his mojo?

[PeteWaller]

We’re a league 1 club pal. As much as I don’t want to admit it we are.

Totally agree Pocket. Hard for many to accept but you know, winning more games in L1 is perhaps more enjoyable than losing most in the Championship.

If the Millers could build a sustainable Championship squad, have any sort of academy that produced for the first team and therefor capable of giving big Championship clubs bloody noses at the NYS, I would personally settle for that. It is demoralising for fans to witness poor performances and results week in week out. It does affect you. Makes you unhappy, miserable at times and even grumpy. In L1 there’s the chance of the opposite of all those feelings because a win is a great feeling, scoring goals gives a great feeling. Being battered is crap.

Until a much greater level of investment is introduced and that means TS sells, then it seems inevitable that L1 will be where the club settles and the way footy is going its more likely L2 will be the next step, not a return to the Championship. Top clubs in the Championship have huge sums available to them. Some might argue the club is in good shape financially. So what if that means less than mediocre attempts at Championship status. Can’t have it both ways, to compete in the Championship a club needs tens of millions to have available. I mean, record transfers of £1million are a joke in this league. That is barely L1 money. We are way off the mark. I accept this all the way but the feeling of going to get beaten up every match is miserable and I have to be honest, I have wished for a long time now that TS got an investment partner with proper wealth. Maybe there aren’t any willing to invest in Rotherham. But, you can’t put a flyweight up against a heavyweight or even a middleweight and expect a good outcome. Who would buy the club? I can’t see anyone wanting the job but there may be another ego out there wanting a toy to play with. When some of these big clubs wake up - Ipswich, Derby for example the Championship will become even harder. I agree with Pocket, L1 is our status. Sad, but nothing has really changed since our Chairman took over, bought himself an investment with the ground which is a lovely stadium. Makes up the numbers when he has to financially, why, I don’t know but he does. Deserves to make a profit when he sells but nothing has changed since his acquisition has it?

I enjoyed most, the Frecks, Revs and Pringle days in L2 and L1. Then, there was hope and even a chairman spouting Premiership dreams were possible. Not really, the reality has set in now for fans and owners alike. The current situation is very poor. Shouldn’t have sacked off MT without having a firm replacement in place suggests to me some naivety amongst those that should know better. Lessons not learned will come home to roost maybe.

[ragingpup]

Totally agree Pocket. Hard for many to accept but you know, winning more games in L1 is perhaps more enjoyable than losing most in the Championship.

If the Millers could build a sustainable Championship squad, have any sort of academy that produced for the first team and therefor capable of giving big Championship clubs bloody noses at the NYS, I would personally settle for that. It is demoralising for fans to witness poor performances and results week in week out. It does affect you. Makes you unhappy, miserable at times and even grumpy. In L1 there’s the chance of the opposite of all those feelings because a win is a great feeling, scoring goals gives a great feeling. Being battered is crap.

Until a much greater level of investment is introduced and that means TS sells, then it seems inevitable that L1 will be where the club settles and the way footy is going its more likely L2 will be the next step, not a return to the Championship. Top clubs in the Championship have huge sums available to them. Some might argue the club is in good shape financially. So what if that means less than mediocre attempts at Championship status. Can’t have it both ways, to compete in the Championship a club needs tens of millions to have available. I mean, record transfers of £1million are a joke in this league. That is barely L1 money. We are way off the mark. I accept this all the way but the feeling of going to get beaten up every match is miserable and I have to be honest, I have wished for a long time now that TS got an investment partner with proper wealth. Maybe there aren’t any willing to invest in Rotherham. But, you can’t put a flyweight up against a heavyweight or even a middleweight and expect a good outcome. Who would buy the club? I can’t see anyone wanting the job but there may be another ego out there wanting a toy to play with. When some of these big clubs wake up - Ipswich, Derby for example the Championship will become even harder. I agree with Pocket, L1 is our status. Sad, but nothing has really changed since our Chairman took over, bought himself an investment with the ground which is a lovely stadium. Makes up the numbers when he has to financially, why, I don’t know but he does. Deserves to make a profit when he sells but nothing has changed since his acquisition has it?

I enjoyed most, the Frecks, Revs and Pringle days in L2 and L1. Then, there was hope and even a chairman spouting Premiership dreams were possible. Not really, the reality has set in now for fans and owners alike. The current situation is very poor. Shouldn’t have sacked off MT without having a firm replacement in place suggests to me some naivety amongst those that should know better. Lessons not learned will come home to roost maybe.

Good post Pete. Realistic assessment of our status but where I think I differ is that I think that we as fans are predetermined to go for success and unevitably when you get it, unless there is a matching investment(which we don't have) will always, if we get the success we want, come at some point to the brick wall and endure a season, or two of you're lucky, of chasing shadows against much richer teams.

There isn't an option, as I wished when we beat Gillingham, that we could change the championship place for huge amounts of money and go again in league 1. But success=promotion, which we all want, and therefore have to compete with the big girls.

However, given the choice of that or miss table to 8th in the league 1, I want the glory and memory of Gillingham and a vague and rather unrealistic dream that this time we'll be able to compete for championship play offs! You have to shake off the grumpiness, put into into perspective, and be thankful that we're a relatively well resourced league one size club that can compete well for success, and memories, at that level.

[mellowmiller]

Does acceptance of being a league 1 club "because that's what we are" mean there is little or no ambition? And if that is the case where is the challenge to compete in the first place, and if that's the case, what is the point of having a football club?
To accept lower level mediocrity will soon see gate numbers drop to 3k or 4k or even less, just like in the bad old days at Millmoor in the 70s.

That's the conundrum Bradgate.
Every time we get promoted we struggle and people say we can't compete in the Championship so if nothing happens to change that what is the point of it all?
Most posters on here are probably old enough to remember the dark days of numerous administrations and points deductions but all that means nothing to the younger supporters who probably won't settle for just being a decent League 1 side. Their expectations will quite reasonably be higher and there are plenty of other attractions where they can spend their money.
Looking at it dispassionately what is there about our club that will attract new generations of supporters?
TS has done wonders for the club and most older supporters appreciate that and buy their season tickets but younger ones are probably expecting more ambition or they will turn their backs on the club.

[CAMiller]

Totally agree Pocket. Hard for many to accept but you know, winning more games in L1 is perhaps more enjoyable than losing most in the Championship.

If the Millers could build a sustainable Championship squad, have any sort of academy that produced for the first team and therefor capable of giving big Championship clubs bloody noses at the NYS, I would personally settle for that. It is demoralising for fans to witness poor performances and results week in week out. It does affect you. Makes you unhappy, miserable at times and even grumpy. In L1 there’s the chance of the opposite of all those feelings because a win is a great feeling, scoring goals gives a great feeling. Being battered is crap.

Until a much greater level of investment is introduced and that means TS sells, then it seems inevitable that L1 will be where the club settles and the way footy is going its more likely L2 will be the next step, not a return to the Championship. Top clubs in the Championship have huge sums available to them. Some might argue the club is in good shape financially. So what if that means less than mediocre attempts at Championship status. Can’t have it both ways, to compete in the Championship a club needs tens of millions to have available. I mean, record transfers of £1million are a joke in this league. That is barely L1 money. We are way off the mark. I accept this all the way but the feeling of going to get beaten up every match is miserable and I have to be honest, I have wished for a long time now that TS got an investment partner with proper wealth. Maybe there aren’t any willing to invest in Rotherham. But, you can’t put a flyweight up against a heavyweight or even a middleweight and expect a good outcome. Who would buy the club? I can’t see anyone wanting the job but there may be another ego out there wanting a toy to play with. When some of these big clubs wake up - Ipswich, Derby for example the Championship will become even harder. I agree with Pocket, L1 is our status. Sad, but nothing has really changed since our Chairman took over, bought himself an investment with the ground which is a lovely stadium. Makes up the numbers when he has to financially, why, I don’t know but he does. Deserves to make a profit when he sells but nothing has changed since his acquisition has it?

I enjoyed most, the Frecks, Revs and Pringle days in L2 and L1. Then, there was hope and even a chairman spouting Premiership dreams were possible. Not really, the reality has set in now for fans and owners alike. The current situation is very poor. Shouldn’t have sacked off MT without having a firm replacement in place suggests to me some naivety amongst those that should know better. Lessons not learned will come home to roost maybe.

Some good points Pete but "nothing has changed since the acquisition". Seriously? The footballing world has changed completely and we are still slugging it out with the likes of Leeds, Leicester, Southampton whilst much bigger clubs languish in L1 and many of our counterparts of 15 years ago have disappeared into oblivion. I agree for those that drag themselves to NYS week in, week out it must be hard to watch, but at least there's a team to watch.

[flourbasher]

This thread has turned into a bit doom and gloom. Blimey

It’s not great at the moment but last season we weren’t a Div 1 one team, we were very much a cship outfit
We could and should have won away games at all of the clubs who got promoted and the losing playoff finalist.
That’s no easy task and very credible. It can be done.

Catastrophic injuries have currently derailed us this season
Appalling decisions from officials early on have made the situation worse. A double whammy
If not for these events we would be competing again right now like we did last year

Maybe some fans have forgotten what bad luck we’ve had this season

[Pocket rocket]

Totally agree Pocket. Hard for many to accept but you know, winning more games in L1 is perhaps more enjoyable than losing most in the Championship.

If the Millers could build a sustainable Championship squad, have any sort of academy that produced for the first team and therefor capable of giving big Championship clubs bloody noses at the NYS, I would personally settle for that. It is demoralising for fans to witness poor performances and results week in week out. It does affect you. Makes you unhappy, miserable at times and even grumpy. In L1 there’s the chance of the opposite of all those feelings because a win is a great feeling, scoring goals gives a great feeling. Being battered is crap.

Until a much greater level of investment is introduced and that means TS sells, then it seems inevitable that L1 will be where the club settles and the way footy is going its more likely L2 will be the next step, not a return to the Championship. Top clubs in the Championship have huge sums available to them. Some might argue the club is in good shape financially. So what if that means less than mediocre attempts at Championship status. Can’t have it both ways, to compete in the Championship a club needs tens of millions to have available. I mean, record transfers of £1million are a joke in this league. That is barely L1 money. We are way off the mark. I accept this all the way but the feeling of going to get beaten up every match is miserable and I have to be honest, I have wished for a long time now that TS got an investment partner with proper wealth. Maybe there aren’t any willing to invest in Rotherham. But, you can’t put a flyweight up against a heavyweight or even a middleweight and expect a good outcome. Who would buy the club? I can’t see anyone wanting the job but there may be another ego out there wanting a toy to play with. When some of these big clubs wake up - Ipswich, Derby for example the Championship will become even harder. I agree with Pocket, L1 is our status. Sad, but nothing has really changed since our Chairman took over, bought himself an investment with the ground which is a lovely stadium. Makes up the numbers when he has to financially, why, I don’t know but he does. Deserves to make a profit when he sells but nothing has changed since his acquisition has it?

I enjoyed most, the Frecks, Revs and Pringle days in L2 and L1. Then, there was hope and even a chairman spouting Premiership dreams were possible. Not really, the reality has set in now for fans and owners alike. The current situation is very poor. Shouldn’t have sacked off MT without having a firm replacement in place suggests to me some naivety amongst those that should know better. Lessons not learned will come home to roost maybe.

The Frecks Pringle days were amazing. Beating both Sheffield clubs in same week. I agree Pete it’s just not fun watching us struggle week in week out especially away from home this season.
Everybody looks for someone to blame but it’s not that simple.
I remember the George Kerr days they were bad. Now there seems to be an expectation that isn’t matched with reality.
We are lucky to have had some amazing times since moving to New York Stadium.
Not sure many appreciative that though because in some people’s eyes we should be achieving more.

[mellowmiller]

The Frecks Pringle days were amazing. Beating both Sheffield clubs in same week. I agree Pete it’s just not fun watching us struggle week in week out especially away from home this season.
Everybody looks for someone to blame but it’s not that simple.
I remember the George Kerr days they were bad. Now there seems to be an expectation that isn’t matched with reality.
We are lucky to have had some amazing times since moving to New York Stadium.
Not sure many appreciative that though because in some people’s eyes we should be achieving more.

This kind of illustrates the point I've been trying to make. Most of us on here are old enough to look back and remember some of the dark days but youngsters aren't interested in that.
They're more inclined to look forward and ask about the ambition of the club.
They probably have unrealistic expectations but won't just accept the "we're lucky to have a club to support" mentality.
I'm not sure TS will be able to deliver what they want.

[flourbasher]

Any Rotherham fans who didn’t enjoy last season perhaps need to find a different hobby.
We also had a huge wobble at Xmas and still came through it for the better.

To stay in this league we need a fair tailwind and unfortunately we’ve had a fierce headwind so far. Key things have gone against us

[Bradgate]

There are those on here who seem to prefer to be in L1.rather than being the points doner for the Championship, the idea being it's more fun to win.
I fully understand that way of thinking, but what are we going to do if we win too many games in L1 and threaten to win promotion to the Championship? Do we then 'throw games' in order to stay rooted in L1 for ever? Where's the sport in that. Why would we want to win 3 points if it meant we.stood a chance of promotion?

I think the club has some big decisions to make sooner rather than later. We are a financially well run club with a super stadium but we are obviously grossly underfunded for the modern game. We can't hold on to our better players and more often don't make the big money as most clubs do when we sell them on. We can't attract ' high calibre ' managers and seem to have a administration that at times appears amateurish in it's functions. And Rotherham town ain't a particularly attractive proposition either.

We have moved on a good deal since TS took over, but on the field of play we are no further on than when the Booths were in charge. Someone needs to make some radical decisions.

[the_idiotb_stardson]

Is Tony Stewart on holiday again?