Jimmy Thelin

[ZakkTheMakk]

At what point to we decide to ditch Thelin?

Do we give him 2 more matches and then decide he isn?t worth continuing with or do we wait until the end of the season and hope he can somehow change the disaster happening in front of our eyes.

2 more matches is more than enough and I am being extremely generous. There is nothing I see on that pitch with that squad and tactics that makes me think it?s worth waiting as things are improving. It?s the opposite as we are getting more easily beaten as the weeks go by.

For me, and I can hardly believe I'm saying this based on my thoughts on previous managers, I would keep faith as long as we don't go down as far as 11th or 12th and we avoid relegation or play off places.

We have to try for once to burst through the other side with a manager, that's not to say we were too quick to get rid of Robson or Goodwin etc, I just firmly believe that Jimmy has more about him than what came before him and he deserves a real opportunity to get HIS squad on the pitch.

I think Jimmy has been saddled with far too many sub-standard players with a weak mentality and until they get flushed out then Jimmy is pissing into the wind. To do what he did at the start of the season with this group was remarkable which was never destined to last, we are seeing now what these players are actually all about and I can only hope it is the last season we see a large portion of them.

[Mason89]

All of that is true. So why does he ask them to play triangles inside their own box at Ibrox? Not to bother to defend set pieces? There?s no doubt he?s inherited some amount of shyte, so why make it more difficult for them?

[ZakkTheMakk]

All of that is true. So why does he ask them to play triangles inside their own box at Ibrox? Not to bother to defend set pieces? There?s no doubt he?s inherited some amount of shyte, so why make it more difficult for them?

I get what you're saying about some of the patterns of play and defending etc. but maybe just maybe he has encountered a variation of this struggle with previous teams he has managed and he got through the other side without changing his philosophy for them?

Maybe he thinks that if he changes even just one part of his vision and if that goes wrong then he is admitting to himself that he isn't of strong character and weak minded etc.

You can't expect players to buy into what the manager believes to be the end product if the players see him changing things constantly and 2nd guessing himself? Just a theory.

It may ultimately be his downfall but with the level of managers we've had recently then it's worth a shot to let this guy try even with sh*t players just now as the ones he keeps after the summer will be fully versed on what exactly Jimmy expects of them which can only benefit new signings.

[TheDeeDon]

Appointed boss one year ago today.

Article on the BBC website, speaking to Jimmy about his year at the club and about Saturdays semi final.

[Jormungand]

It's been a very interesting year

My first impression of him was that he's a clever guy - I'm sure he's learned loads from his time here, and hopefully he can keep improving us over the next few years.

[rico94]

My dad was speaking to a guy he used to work with and he was at some corporate thing a few weeks ago that Stewart Milne was at.

Apparently Stewart Milne was going on about how highly Thelin is rated by Cormack and the board.Pretty much said Thelin will be here for as long as he wants to be.

I dont know the guy so it could be shyte but it would make sense with the recent back room appointments and the money that was spent in January.

In a way its good to see the board backing the manager but could potentially blow up in their faces putting all of their eggs in one basket so soon into Thelins tenure.

[TheDeeDon]

I don't think any other person would have lasted that winless run. We were shyte during it too.

I never felt as though he wasn't the man to turn it around and was actually impressed how he handled himself during thst run.

We can see we have a style of play, which isn't sitting back and defending a 1 goal lead and I know we need some more players, to complete the squad, but I am actually excited about the football side of things at the moment.

I don't think a top six finish and two cup semi finals*, is a bad return at all for a first full season, for a 'foreigner' with no links to the Scottish game.

I also don't overlook his part in turning around the fortunes of Shayden Morris,and to a lesser extent Pape Gueye.

In Jimmy we trust.

*Potential to go further in one.

[NaeMairNeeps]

Ah've been thinkin there's maybe some method in Thelin's apparent madness re. his use/misuse o' Shaymo.

Fae a 'Reds' point o' view, it seems wise tae gie the guy as many minutes on the pitch as poss .... but ... players wi' particular attributes/patterns/styles get 'found oot' eventually .... Duk is the prime example ...

Ah'm nae convinced Duk's skills/abilities diminished ... the opposition sussed him oot ... he could beat a man 1 on 1, so ... double up on him. Man mark him. Give him little or no space/time tae think ... let alone play.

Worked well, because they also saw his weakness ... ie. his propensity for 'going it alone' ... attempting to dribble past three or four guys when a pass tae a team-mate efter beatin' two was the better option. Aye, it was wonderful tae see him dribble through three or four guys and play a killer pass ... but that was the exception rather than the rule efter opposition teams learned tae crowd him oot.

Morris has been fkn excellent this season. It's been said he's a 'one trick pony' .... but rather than learn new tricks, he just seems tae have been given the encouragement tae be the best at that particular 'one trick' rather than become 'Jack of all trades, master of none' ... and his confidence has soared.

Havin said that, his defensive contribution has improved, and his decision making when his 'default' mode is a 'no-go' has also improved dramatically .... still tho ....

If you're the opposition ahead of a game ... bein' unsure o' whether he'll start, come on late, be subbed on 60 mins ... mast be a tactical nightmare.

Whichever period Morris plays, there will be a particular game plan or tactic ..... which will get f*cked up if he starts on the bench and the much improved, and unknown quantity, Okkels steps on the grass.

Likewise, Gueye must be a headscratcher for opposition planners. The guy has bags and bags of tricks ... yet, if he got the basics right ... like I (and others) wish tae f*ck he would/could do ... he would become predictable ... and end up being 'Duk'd'

Tinfoil hat on here .. but anyone who studied Paul Gascoign will agree that there was a player who could fart about for 89 minutes but turn a game in less seconds than he played that imaginary fkn hun flute. Those seconds are memorable (whether we like it or not) ... games where he did **** all are less so.

So .. err ... well, I think overall Gueye is pretty fkn shyte ... but Ah can see why he gets a game/start ..... there will come a game where one quirky flick in the right direction to the right guy in the right area will be that split second where he makes a difference ... even if he has been shyte for 90 mins and 59 secs plus added time

Anyway, that's ma train o' thought for noo

[TheDeeDon]

Not in the running for manager of the season, yet David Gray is?

One cup semi and a final still to look forward too, as well as the initial winning run.

I hope the Falkirk boy wins it.

[swaddon2]

Maybe that small blip in the Dons fortunes over the winter cost him a nomination.

[TheDeeDon]

Maybe that small blip in the Dons fortunes over the winter cost him a nomination.

Aye, possibly, but just don't think Gray has done anything more for his nomination.
Don't get me wrong, Gray has turned it around for them, but only one team tried to play fitba on Saturday and wasn't Hibs.

We've never been bottom all season either and whilst favourites for third it's not a forgone conclusion they will get it.

Can't help but wonder if Jimmy was Scottish, he'd be in the running.

[blowupsheep]

Tinfoil hat on here .. but anyone who studied Paul Gascoign will agree that there was a player who could fart about for 89 minutes but turn a game in less seconds than he played that imaginary fkn hun flute. Those seconds are memorable (whether we like it or not) ... games where he did **** all are less so.

So .. err ... well, I think overall Gueye is pretty fkn shyte ... but Ah can see why he gets a game/start ..... there will come a game where one quirky flick in the right direction to the right guy in the right area will be that split second where he makes a difference ... even if he has been shyte for 90 mins and 59 secs plus added time

Anyway, that's ma train o' thought for noo

Neeps,
As much as we all detest the English Hun w@nker Gaza.
Surely you are nae trying to suggest that oor Pape is of the same mould and standard as he was.
Yes support our own players and encourage them all we can, but that's taking it too far min.

Gueye is pesh and I think we all know that

[Br0chred]

"Tinfoil hat on here .. but anyone who studied Paul Gascoign will agree that there was a player who could fart about for 89 minutes but turn a game in less seconds than he played that imaginary fkn hun flute. Those seconds are memorable (whether we like it or not) ... games where he did **** all are less so."

That racist, wifebeating Geordie mess is complete vermin and no credit for anything should ever be put his way. I can only hope he gets back on the drink and he ends up how he deserves. Suffice to say I only hope for ill to befall him and detest when his fellow huns or englanders trot out what a cheekie chappie he was, as if that makes his numerous misdemeanours acceptable. Fck him, I'd rather watch Nigel Pepper

[TheDeeDon]

Jimmy has been shortlisted for Manager of the Year award from the Scottish Football Writers Association.

[RED_JOHN]

Jimmy has been shortlisted for Manager of the Year award from the Scottish Football Writers Association.

What a farce. Look at how many defeats he has had in a season. A honking record.