Football fans and expectations of the club(s) you support

The_Kew_Tour

I want to ask are there football fans of the club you support expectations too much from time to time, and realistic or not? You can talk about other clubs too, but do some fans feel like pulling their hair out when they hear what appears to be targets that realistically will take miracles to achieve? I suppose it happens at every club, but some maybe more then others, where fans think they should be top of league, or getting into Europe. But have a squad that is more likely to finish in Relegation zone.

Have been having a discussion with few friends and others in Hibs forum about the season so far.

Now few of them have been unhappy with the season. Disappointed to have dropped silly points against Ross County, Motherwell, Dundee and Inverness. Some have even claimed we should be competing with Celtic(I did snigger). Basically most of the blame lies with Pat Fenlon. They claim he is not good enough. Want better manager. Still not answered my question on which manager they want or what Hibs player would stroll onto Celtic team.

Anyway my argument was basically I was happy with progress club was making. 1 point of last season total with 16 games to go. Unbeaten against Celtic and Hearts from 5 games and that the optimism in the stands is as good as its been since 2006/07 season. Basically we dont have the financial power and pull and compete with Celtic. I want the club to be as adventurous and progressive as possible but also these things dont happen overnight.

It never stops to give me bemusement though about what some fans do be thinking all the same

mike65

Ah now the Liverpool thread is 80% given over to exactly this issue.

For what its worth (very little in eyes of some) I see progress but my expectations are also set quite deliberately at a modest level. The club is rebalancing the books and the whole profile of the first team (the Fa Cup tie yesterday gives clue as to what's happening - 22 years of age average once Carra and Jones were taken out of the starting 11). Slow but steady gets you there, that's the approach the owners are taking now having tried the Big Bang theory the first time. Clearly others have stridently different view on this I'll let them speak for that side of the argument.

Paully D

For the first couple of seasons we were back in the Premier League I was happy just to stop up, third and fourth season push on a bit to mid-table, now that we're in our sixth season back I'd like us to challenge for top 10 and a half decent cup run each season althought that always depends on the draw for a club like us.

With the players we have now and the money we've spent over the years I don't think that's unrealistic at all.

We haven't won a major trophy since 1973, have been relegated with record low points totals twice and still average 40,000 every week, I don't think there's too many of our fans that expect anything other than disappointment to be honest :pac:

GLaDOS

Most Bohs fans are pretty much just happy to still have a club, and I agree.

LuckyLloyd

If you don't know where you want to go you'll never get there. As a Liverpool fan I get very worked up when the likes of Newcastle or Spurs are talked about as the goal or model we want to emulate. People will argue that we all want the same thing and are just disagreeing about how to get there, but I'd diverge on that point.

Push, push, push while always questioning and criticising. Having big goals and being willing to step outside the comfort zone to get the job done. That's the mindset successful organisations / people seem to have in my experience.

Mongarra

I would agree with ScienceNerd. I thought avoiding relegation was a huge achievement last season and my expectations would be in or around the same this year. As long as the finances do not disimprove I think the long-term prospects are positive.

Chucky the tree

I think the vast majority of expectations of Liverpool fans are pretty much spot on. Improve our league position from last year and look like a team/club who is going in the right direction. Now the dividing issue among us is whether or not we are going in the right direction. I also think their is definitely a number of Kenny fanboys who'll simply never take to Rodgers simply because he got the job after Kenny which makes things even more of a minefield.

Lawrence1895

Tricky one there for Borussia Dortmund. Of course, most fans would like to win the Bundesliga for the third time in a row, but Bayern Munich are miles away atm...so we have to settle for the DFB Pokal and the Champions League this season

L'prof

As an Arsenal fan, many believed the transition from moving to new stadium would be far smoother and far more trophy laden. Some feel we've stagnated and should be doing much better, but I reckon with our budgetary limitations we've done quite well. Rumours are that with the stadium debt almost behind us, the club are willing to release some proper funds to improve the squad. I'll believe it when I see it, but if that's the case, I'll be hopeful of a bit more than top 4 every season.

SantryRed

With Shels, I just want survival, on and off the pitch for the next 10 years. If we don't get relegated while not making a loss in that time, I'd consider it a success.

Richard Hillman

As a Shels fan, i know we dont have the resources to win the league so Id expect a midtable finish but playing good football and bringing through lots of exciting young players. Id also like decent runs in the cup comps.

Sadly apart from decent cup runs none of this looks likely with the current managerial regime.

darced

This post has been deleted.

oldyouth

In line with other LOI fans on this thread, I will settle for survival of the club I support, Wexford Youths. The whole domestic game is in the crapper but I just want us to be in the shake up when it finally gets resolved/Delaney quits

Lawrence1895

SantryRed wrote: »

With Shels, I just want survival, on and off the pitch for the next 10 years. If we don't get relegated while not making a loss in that time, I'd consider it a success.

A few wins against other team from Dublin on the way would be great as well

noodler

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I don't agree that Rafa was boring for the majority of his reign.

Certainly not during the Torres era, not during the Crouch era either imo.

I definitely think that some people are letting a minority of games cloud their judgenment on the issue.


EDIT: I think us Liverpool fans have downgraded expectations continously over the last three years.

Dempsey

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I want to ask are there football fans of the club you support expectations too much from time to time, and realistic or not? You can talk about other clubs too, but do some fans feel like pulling their hair out when they hear what appears to be targets that realistically will take miracles to achieve? I suppose it happens at every club, but some maybe more then others, where fans think they should be top of league, or getting into Europe. But have a squad that is more likely to finish in Relegation zone.

Have been having a discussion with few friends and others in Hibs forum about the season so far.

Now few of them have been unhappy with the season. Disappointed to have dropped silly points against Ross County, Motherwell, Dundee and Inverness. Some have even claimed we should be competing with Celtic(I did snigger). Basically most of the blame lies with Pat Fenlon. They claim he is not good enough. Want better manager. Still not answered my question on which manager they want or what Hibs player would stroll onto Celtic team.

Anyway my argument was basically I was happy with progress club was making. 1 point of last season total with 16 games to go. Unbeaten against Celtic and Hearts from 5 games and that the optimism in the stands is as good as its been since 2006/07 season. Basically we dont have the financial power and pull and compete with Celtic. I want the club to be as adventurous and progressive as possible but also these things dont happen overnight.

It never stops to give me bemusement though about what some fans do be thinking all the same

Surely thats just a vocal minority?

Fenlon has done a solid job, the cup final defeat will not be forgotten but I think there are plenty of positives to what he's doing. Hibs are a work in progress and another period of instability by playing manager roulette should be the last card you want to play.

Could Hibs hire a better manager? Maybe but its more likely that a change in management would make players become disillusioned with life at the club, loanees such Griffiths & Claros might not hang around to see if they are wanted. Saunders saying that he's going to trim the Wolves squad must be music to Hibbee ears!

The_Kew_Tour

Dempsey wrote: »

Surely thats just a vocal minority?

Fenlon has done a solid job, the cup final defeat will not be forgotten but I think there are plenty of positives to what he's doing. Hibs are a work in progress and another period of instability by playing manager roulette should be the last card you want to play.

Could Hibs hire a better manager? Maybe but its more likely that a change in management would make players become disillusioned with life at the club, loanees such Griffiths & Claros might not hang around to see if they are wanted. Saunders saying that he's going to trim the Wolves squad must be music to Hibbee ears!

It's a minority alright, but a big enough minority to actually take it with a bit of delusion.

The thing is I dont think they could get a better manger. Not somebody with good track record anyway.

Hopefully Saunders will at very least let Griffiths stay till end of season. Doyle imo is our best player this season, but Griffiths goals have been vital.

You won't please all fans though no matter what goes on.

eagle eye

As a Blackburn fan all I wanted over the last decade is to be in the hunt for a spot in European competition but more importantly not to be struggling against relegation. We had a fantastic Chairman who left shortly after the new owners sacked Allardyce. John Williams was highly respected by everybody in the league, he was snapped up by Manchester City shortly after he left us.

Anyways my expectations for this year were to at least make the playoffs in the Championship which is touch and go at the minute as we don't have a manager but are doing well since Berg was sacked.

I never expected us to be fighting for titles or CL spots any season. I just always wanted the club to be run right with good youth development so that hopefully some season in the future we could just get lucky enough to nab a cup and maybe make a run at the CL spots. That would be a long term vision but not something I'd ever fully expect to happen.

Right now with the owners we have I just don't know what to think. They look like an absolute disaster and all one can hope is they learn from their mistakes.

CSF

Shels fan, all I really want short-term is Matthews out.

Dempsey

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

It's a minority alright, but a big enough minority to actually take it with a bit of delusion.

The thing is I dont think they could get a better manger. Not somebody with good track record anyway.

Hopefully Saunders will at very least let Griffiths stay till end of season. Doyle imo is our best player this season, but Griffiths goals have been vital.

You won't please all fans though no matter what goes on.

Patience with a manager is key, look at how Lennon has progressed at Celtic. He's had several high profile bad results in the beginning, he's come close to fans completely turning on him because of results only just last season. He's also had some very poor performances this season despite the league position Celtic are in. The club has made tremendous progress under him. Even when you are making great progress at a club there is going to bad results & performances. Obviously you can examine where you can improve on these results but looking to change a manager because of these results is highly unlikely to sort it out!

happyoutscan

Liverpool fan, all I want is 2 tickets for the upcoming Norwich game. Aside from that, as has already been said in the thread my expectations are low. I'm happy to give the Rodgers some time though, hopefully he'll prove himself.

Donnielighto

United fan.

Expectation :- At least one piece of silverware a year, a consistent and significant youth presence. Goals.

overshoot

oldyouth wrote: »

In line with other LOI fans on this thread, I will settle for survival of the club I support, Wexford Youths. The whole domestic game is in the crapper but I just want us to be in the shake up when it finally gets resolved/Delaney quits

Expectation this year is at least a good promotion challenge. we have spent the last few years being glad to have a club, felix in particular let being happy to survive bleed attitude onto the pitch. Hutton brought a proper attitude and a 10 game unbeaten run with a more depleated squad through injuries.

survival of the club should not mean settling for mediocrity on the pitch

Mars Bar

Expectations for Manchester United is to at least be challenging for the premier league title in May, if not winning it.

For Galway United, it would be nice to have a senior team accepted into the LOI. Also got the U19`s to finish above longFord in their league.