My Mate Rattea

[Ramondo]

It would be interesting to travel back to 1967 and look at this board then (yes I know it's not possible but bear with me and let's play fantasy Rattea).

So the board would be full of people extolling the virtues of the newly appointed Brian Clough and how his brand of football was much better than Tim Ward had been producing.

But look back on the last 5 years of steady progress under Ward states Rattus senior. I see no improvement.

That Clough is just a cheque book manager. Look at those thousands he has lashed out on O'Hare and Hinton. That has cost us £50,000 - we will be screwed under the new FFP rules. They won't improve the team or performance

I guess this proves Rattea to be right after all - what did we achieve under Brian Clough after all. Look what Ward did at Carlisle...

Really can't argue too much against this Roger, it's an excellent point.

There are a few holes in it (ignoring the internet etc ). Tran

[swaledale]

It would be interesting to travel back to 1967 and look at this board then (yes I know it's not possible but bear with me and let's play fantasy Rattea).

So the board would be full of people extolling the virtues of the newly appointed Brian Clough and how his brand of football was much better than Tim Ward had been producing.

But look back on the last 5 years of steady progress under Ward states Rattus senior. I see no improvement.

That Clough is just a cheque book manager. Look at those thousands he has lashed out on O'Hare and Hinton. That has cost us £50,000 - we will be screwed under the new FFP rules. They won't improve the team or performance

I guess this proves Rattea to be right after all - what did we achieve under Brian Clough after all. Look what Ward did at Carlisle...

Really can't argue too much against this Roger, it's an excellent point.

There are a few hole

[ramspride]

I think people are missing the point of my thread I said that Rattea had a point that Steve had not made many good signings. Thorne excepted. Most on here agree that the defence is weak but Mac has not improved it with any signings. I do reiterate though that he has improved the performance of Nigels signing and the football they play is more attractive and successful

[blackandwhite56]

Have to say I don't recall ANY criticism of B Clough's spending at the time, it was seen as investment in the team.Nobody said 'he has bought success'.
MacClaren has not been with us 18 months and yet an artificial target is being set by some , that he must get promotion in less than 2 years or else he is a failure.I don't think may fans will recognise it as failure if we remain in the top 6 and are competing for the top 2 places throughout, playing entertaining football. It's not that if we changed manager success could be guaranteed.
We still need to see accounts for the year up to June 2014 and it will be another 12 months before we know accurately what is being spent this season.

One suspects that this target is being set by those who regret the sacking of N Clough before he had the same apparent spending as MacClaren - but of course it is the improved on-field performance and the financial receipts that is allowing the additional spending. Promotion is tangible in a way it never

[blackandwhite56]

I think people are missing the point of my thread I said that Rattea had a point that Steve had not made many good signings. Thorne excepted. Most on here agree that the defence is weak but Mac has not improved it with any signings. I do reiterate though that he has improved the performance of Nigels signing and the football they play is more attractive and successful

The phrase used in original was in fact 'he has not made ANY good signings '. Does Rattea think Thorne a good signing?

[swaledale]

I think people are missing the point of my thread I said that Rattea had a point that Steve had not made many good signings. Thorne excepted. Most on here agree that the defence is weak but Mac has not improved it with any signings. I do reiterate though that he has improved the performance of Nigels signing and the football they play is more attractive and successful

he has a point only if one accepts his assertion that McClaren was appointed becuase he would attract or through his knowledge and connections acquire better quality of player to the club - a point that is erroneous as the appointment of Steve Evans as football operations was designed to do that and they have followed the philosophy of finding good young talent to develop whilst being able to get in loans which by anyone's measure have added to the quality of the side.

As for the good signings, well I've provided a list of players both loans and permanent who ahve