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Dropping a Bombshell
Lee Clark today confirmed that Nikola Zigic will not be in the squad for the game against Watford on Saturday due to what he stated as “possibly the worst training session in terms of a professional footballer I have ever come across on Thursday.”
As bombshells go this is a biggie. You can hear Lee Clark’s words for yourself in this interview with Free Radio and make up your own mind on what he has said. It’s a brutal, public dressing down of a player for not performing to expectations in training.
I have to be honest and say that it’s difficult to defend Clark at all in this situation. One thing I have always believed is that when you have problems with staff then you should deal with the problem in private, in house. I accept that a football club is like a goldfish bowl with everyone looking in but in my mind that makes it all the more important that disciplinary issues are kept strictly confidential.
There is a possible comparison that could be drawn with the Keith Fahey situation where the club’s silence has meant that rumours and conjecture have flown around and the club have been criticised for not being transparent. Yet when the manager is open and honest about a player there is criticism once more for not keeping it in-house and not being “professional”. There is an argument that Clark cannot win either way yet I don’t think it has to be an argument about which way is right with the fans – there is an old hoary saying that you can’t please all the people all the time and I think that rings true. What Clark has to do has to be right for the club realistically more than right for us and I don’t believe this statement has been right for the club.
There are arguments for and against dropping players who have performed badly in training. On the one hand you want to send a message to your players that they can’t just turn up and do nothing and expect to be picked – they need to put some effort in; on the other hand it’s probably best to start every game with your strongest squad available and there is no doubt in my mind that Nikola Zigic fits in that category, especially with Marlon King unfit. Clark is the manager and it’s his job to do what he thinks is best in this situation and then to stand by that decision – however much we disagree with it.
It all depends on how Saturday goes – we play Watford off the park, Lovenkrands and/or Thomas score and/or play well and we win – then some of this may be forgotten/forgiven and maybe Clark might get credit for going the right way. However, we don’t play well, we lose or we just plain miss the big man – and the way we have played recently he’s been a talisman off the bench – then you can only see another storm of criticism for Clark. It’s a big, big call for the manager and I hope for the club’s sake he’s got it right because the need for points and wins is bigger than any concern I have for him or for Zigic.
Tags: Lee Clark, Nikola Zigic
237 Responses to “Dropping a Bombshell”
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Disgraceful outburst by Clark. Think this could run and run,and if I was Ziggy would look to take this further, its his whole reputation at stake. Could be the end of LC, terrible error of judgement.
Exactly my thinikng..There are ways to do things and this isnt a way …He seems to be just trying to get the fans on his side. He has let himnself down..
Personally, I welcome the openness by Clark. he hasn’t been the best manager for us to date, but I tell you what, he is speakign for the fans here. I would much rather have this than the opposite.
I’m happy to hear this kind of thing, if it is taking place. Ziggy is taking the mick pulling 50k a week and not bothering his arse.
Lee Clark is a man and leader of men. He makes a decision which he thinks is right and is not afraid to make the biggies. All the net boys keep moaning that the communication from the club is crap but when Lee tells it straight it’s heinous. If Lee just dropped Zigic without saying why then everybody would want to know, would have been the easier option but Lee is no coward.
I applaud Lee for his actions, sends out exactly the right message to the rest of the squad and puts Zigic firmly in his place. I love the guy but if he’s taking the piss he’s taking the piss end of.
Paul, most of the time I think youre like broken record. However, this time I agree 100%
Unusually I disagree with Al on this. If Zigic can’t be bothered to train properley why should we pay him? If I didn’t try in my job I’d get the sack and their wouldn’t be a multimillion pay off
i think that might be what they are trying to do sack him and get rid of his wage or drive him out as for Clark telling people why he is not playing why not
the actions taken here by Lee Clark are not those i would attribute to a leader of men, it’s quite pathetic and it was a snap decision made in the heat of the moment with little regard for the kind of bad press this gives our club, and at a time when we sorely need more of it!
I think this shows that our current manager is far from the last we had, Clark is a man who cannot control his emotions it would seem and he has shown himself to be a little too unstable and reckless in this matter to the point of utter foolishness! but this is only my opinion of course! i’d prefer a man who can keep business of this sort in house and who handles himself in a more controlled and dignified manner! one more befitting of a man in his position and a manner which reflects better on the club he manages! I found the whole petty and immature outburst by clark to be nothing short of embarrassing!
In reality we all know Clark right, WELL DONE CLARK…
Maybe Clark was a little more measured than he’s getting credit for. Clark has 3 problems right now. 1. Our league position.
2. His relationship with the fans or his credibility at least
3. Motivating the players (we all know we’re better than 16th).
This kind of reaching out to the fans will influence point 2 and while there is quite naturally divided opinion now most will be able to relate this more once the dust settles.
It also sends a clear message out to the rest of the players. This could happen to you if you wish to put in little effort. I wouldn’t want to be looking for a new club with this label I can tell you. Zigic may have to explain what happened convincingly to a potential hiring manager in the future.
Hopefully point will improve as a consequence.
Steve, Lee’s outburst can’t be justified! The bloke is always passing the buck! Ziggy may be on £50k a week which he don’t appear to be earning it but if you discount Ziggy’s goals this season in my estimation BCFC would be in the religation zone! Ziggy is like marmite! Love him or hate him! But Lee Clarke has underachied and with a squad not to dissimilar to last season I expected a better out come! Clarke looks like he should lay off the booze! We all have heard enough rumours why the players are not playing for him and why there’s bust ups at the training ground!
It is impossible to keep something like this in-house in our current situation.
Take a look at the Fahey rumour mill that never seems to stop. When the club refuse to speak about something, that leaves fans open to make their own assumptions.
If Clark had dropped Zigic for Saturday’s match without giving a clear and concise reason, then the whole of St. Andrew’s would have left the ground on Saturday making ridiculous assumptions (he’s drunk etc.)
The fact is that Zigic is not pulling his weight and he has been punished publicly. He should be embarrassed of himself.
I hear what your saying but tell us he’s injured, hes got the flu, family issue anything really apart from slamming him in public. Look how long the club kept the O’Connor scenario under wraps for we didn’t have a club did we? it can easily be done. KRO
well said, LC is between a rock and a hard place. He tried to keep Fahey in house and he gets slated and now he tells s a £50k a week footballer is toxxing it off in training, sorry but Zigic dieserves being called out in public. What sort of message does it give to the kids in the squad? Fair play to LC for telling us 6 weeks ago that Zigic was helping the kids out in the squad and when he doesn’t do it we keep stum… Urhmm I think there are too many people on here wanting to slag LC for anything he does right or wrong. Hat off to LC I say
Totally Agree!
I 100% agree also.
Agreed
He is using Ziggy to deflect the attention from his own performance, poor management publicly blaming players KRO
stop talking rubbish
Horse Crap!
Our recent performances have been great
So when was the last time you saw blues play?
Typical outburst from a pathetic man. LC has lost the plot this time. Go, go, go. We are only 4 points of the drop zone and he does this sort of thing. When we are losing 2-0 tomorrow i will be singing OOOOOOOOO NICOLA ZIGIC, OOOOOOOOO NICOLA ZIGIC. He’s our best player by a mile. LIta left because of Clark’s tantrums. The bloke has form……………….GO Now.
What rubbish, for me he hasn’t put in a real ball busting performance since we bought him.
How wrong you were Ed
If Zigic wasn’t dropped then it creates a difficult situation as it sends a message out to other players that they can get away with lack of effort too, especially as it seems the other players were not happy with Zigic in training. The manager has to show he is in charge. Once he’s been dropped, he’s got to come clean to the media otherwise he would have faced a backlash for dropping Zigic for no reason, especially with King an injury doubt. With Fahey it’s a different situation as we have been told it’s a personal issue, so not necessarily something that has happened in training, so it would be inappropriate for Clark to go public in this situation.
Instead of turning on LC surely Zigic should be the one feeling the heat from us fans, 55 odd grand a week and he can’t be arsed to train, Absolute disgrace!
Exactly!!
How do you know Clark is telling the truth ?
He’s not on 55k a week either.
You think he has publically lied while his players look on bewilderment?
Eejit
Just when he was settling everything down Clark comes out with this. I just do not understand it to be honest, there is no logic. I cant understand the message he is trying to send out to the squad because a few weeks ago we signed Thomas and the next day he starts. So how has he actually earnt that starting role? in theory Clark is making a mockery of his own statement with regards to training. KRO
Lee Clark can’t help it if you’re a bit thick can he?
What, you can’t understand the message it sends out?
The message is feck about in training and you wont play in the side.
How can you not understand that?
pot and kettle spring to mind! calm down Paul, you sound like our manager……can’t keep his calm in any situation and that is not how a real man behaves in my humble opinion.
Bit of an overreaction from certain fans here. He’s right, if he wasn’t on the bench at least, fans would create some more ridiculous rumours.
I can abide by players being crap (Zigic is not one of them, he’s one of the best), but I won’t tolerate a lack of trying.
If we’re gonna hold Lee Clark accountable for everything else, then we shouldn’t really moan when he tells us the truth, however blunt it is.
yeh a big call, but think it was the right one. zigic always seems to lack in effort and if it weren’t for his ridiculous wages we might not have to keep selling. but i bet everyone still cheers his name just to have a dig at clark.
If Ziggy has not pulled his weight then let it be known. Why should players be sheilded, it should come with the territory. As an experienced player and top earner Ziggy should be setting an example. Do you all remember the arrogant comments from Ziggys agent?
Blimey how could Clarke tell he wasn’t trying?
He always looks llike that when he plays and when he does show some determined effort he usually gets sent off.
For all Clarkes good intentions he should have kept this in house or at least water the situation down by saying he didn’t look right in training etc.
Having a go at players in the media does not work and is counter productive.
We need a motivated Zigic for the remainder of the season not a completely p****d off one.
Poor management from a man out of his depth at a big club.
New owners and a new manager for next season please.
KRO
Poor manangement?
So letting Zigic take the piss in training in front of the rest of the squad is good management?
Great example to the young lads just coming through that is.
You tear him off a strip in house. Humiliating him in public gets you an unmotivated troublemaker.
i agree with what has been said by some on here about this, Clark is out of his depth and is showing himself to be a very very poor manager! I was all for giving him the benefit of the doubt but this whole saga has really brought home the truth for me, Lee Clark is useless and a bit of a knob by his actions! real men don’t lose their cool in such dramatic fashion and I long for the old gaffer more and more with every passing day! He was a bloke who knew how to handle himself with dignity and more importantly a man who knew how to handle his team!
Does anyone on here know what happened ????? then surely the way forward is to have faith in the club !!!! and as stated Clark is in a no win situ with the press and fans !!!!!! Although I am not Clarks biggest fan I tend to lean his way on this one simply because of the individual concerned or should I say millstone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No King or Zigic I will be absolutely amazed if we score a goal on Saturday. He should sort it out at the time, there and then. This is just LC having a hissy fit and he’s cut his nose off to spite his face. Silly sod
Why will you be absolutely amazed?
Don’t you understand football?
Paul Carter. Do you attend matches?
I understand that to win football matches you have to score a goal. At this level King and Zigic can score goals and Lovenkrands and the Bornemouth reserve cant. I also understand that if I know King is injured I am going to do my best to make sure Zigic plays otherwise our strikers will not score a goal.
Like I said he should have sorted it there and then.
By the way, do you go to the matches?
I think back to the likes of Phil Brown keeping his players on the pitch during half time after a poor first half performance for a very public dressing down. Hull went on a terrible run which ended with relegation. I know this is a different situation but can’t help feeling this isn’t going to do much for team morale. If getting paid thousands of pounds a week to PLAY a game isn’t motivation enough how is publicly humiliating anyone going to work, and how is this going to motivate the other players? Fear is never the best motivator in my opinion and i feel LC has made a big mistake here. Only time, and performances will tell and I hope the team prove me wrong and LC right.
KRO
I’m sure we’ve seen public dressing downs of players before in the media, and more often than not the player in question has become highly motivated to succeed / do well.
In my mind this is a big gamble by LC, this could go either way with no in-between. If you’re going to try mind-games, you need to be confident enough and clever enough to see it through.
It’s one thing to explain to the fans why a player is dropped, it’s quite another to slur out accusations and vitriol when there is no way Zigic can defend himself. Clark should pick the best team to win the match, and by his own account that includes Zigic.
I won’t call for Clark to go, but I would like him to get a grip and stop being quite so crap.
this could go one way or the other just like our season and i think this is bad timing as our relegation fight is more important than any one player
This is a situation that has been coming for a while. Zigic is the highest earner and one of the laziest players. The return for what he’s paid simply isn’t good enough and, as much as a number of the fans seem to like him, the simple reality is that we would have sold him a long time ago if anybody was actually interested in buying him, which they’re not. As nice a bloke as Zigic probably is, he’s been taking the mick for a long time now and he puts in 50-60% effort in most games. He’s got a nice lifestyle on a Premiership size salary and he needs to make an effort because his attitude has been poor for a while. He doesn’t start because he’s not good enough. We need to take off the rose tinted glasses we sometimes wear when watching Ziggy. King puts a shift in. Zigic doesn’t. The manager has obviously given him a chance and has reached the point that he’s gone public in a last effort to motivate the player. KRO
Good on you Lee Clark. I think this complete drain on the club SHOULD be exposed if he really can’t be bothered about anything other than picking up his £55k a week. Let us not forget, had we not sold Butland his wage would have taken us under as a Club …… Do you think that has ever concerned him ….I think not. You only have to see what his agent said “why would he leave when he is played the same as a Man Utd player”. It’s players like him that are more than happy to ruin our club as long as his money rolls in ……. If he is carring such a poor attitude and he is commanding such money, WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW. Thumbs up to Lee on this one.
Id just like to say well done to lc for this. a message has been sent out to the players and the fans now that a, poor performances will not be accepted and b, he is trying to be as open as possible with the fans. if zigic takes this badly and doesnt attempt to make it right then i dont want him at my club. i want players who have bottle, determination and pride. i hope zig does turn it round and sort himself out!
Sounds to me likeLC has had enough of Zigic and his long term attitude. Zigic has been on the bench so many times before because of this attitude. And having a 55k talisman is the only way he can stay involved as he is a waste over 90mins. This attitude and wages must be affecting the whole squad and the results we have had up to now. LC is right to go public as a last resort.
In the CHAMPIONSHIP Zigic has scored 6 goals this season, and 11 last season.
He earns appx 50k a week, that’s £2.6 Million per season. His return of goals and good performances under no circumstances justifies his wages.
He refuses to be transferred because he knows no other club will match his current salary, even though he knows his wage is crippling our finances, and forcing us to sell players.
Yes, I know he’s within his rights to stay: But, by refusing to move, he clearly doesn’t care about us.
When I stated all of this 3 weeks ago, I received 50/50 support / criticism for my comments – Alj being one of whom criticised me.
I think this ‘training’ story cements my thoughts on Zigic.
How many games has he started though and how many points have his goals and assists won us this season? Without Zigic we would be in the bottom 3 right now.
Another forward on a fraction of Zigic wage would possibly have done as good if not better than him.
We may have got Chris Woods if we didn’t have Zigic on our wage bill.
Chris Wood
It’s LC’s fault that name was misspelled ;)
Every time I buy a ticket for a game out of my hard earned cash, the least I expect is people to try. Zigic has been happy sitting on his arse collecting his 60k a week with no complaint and apparently no effort. Bravo Lee Clark. The least I expect is effort from each and every player.
At least put Zig on the bench for the next game,bring him on with 20 mins to go,& after this blasting he can show us all-inc Clark-what he can do.
This seems to be the absolute opposite of the Balotelli/Mancini row,where Balotelli showed too much aggression,energy.
Now we face a very good Watford side with a threadbare forward line,with only 4pts between us & the drop zone,Clark your playing a dangerous game.
I’m not a huge fan of LC, but in his defence, he is now the 3rd manager (AMc, CH and now LC) to use Zigic as a sub for many games, rather than put him in the starting 11.
LC is a numpty. (IMO)
Zigic is the best player we have got. We need the best out of him on the pitch on Saturday. Lots of players are bad trainers….
So that is Fahey and Zigic now that have ‘issues’.
As a coach once said to me, when you are pointing a finger at someone there are 3 fingers pointing back at you….
LC should of got the bullet after the Barnsley game. He has no idea about man management.
I’m with Lee Clark on this one!
Seconded mate, as a player Lee Clark gave everything for his team and no doubt in training. If ziggy on £55k a week more than most midlanders earn in a year can’t be arsed in training, drop him. I want to see players trying their best for blues bnot just picking up their wage.
If I was on £50,000 a week (and may I tell you I am not) then if I was not pulling my weight at work it is not the boss I would get a dressing down by it would be the sack , bearing in mind the average fan gets about £18,000 a year then it is nice to hear someone geytting a public B********G. The thing that grates with me is the fact Zigic’s agent likes to spout off about why would he want to leave as he is on Man Utd wages in the championship. I would like to ask the question if he like Birmingham City that much will he hang around when his contract is up for renewal and is offered a fraction of this wage.
What people don’t understand is that he picks up £55k a week, (i’ve heard that his wages went up to £70k a week in the final year of his contract) if he’s not pulling his weight then let everyone know about it, why sweep it under the carpet, it’s a lesson to everyone else too.
He says that “he loves the club” total bulls**t in my eyes, he loves his wages morelike!
If he did love the club he would have left in the transfer window to help save the club. Just thinking about himself.
I must say fairplay to LC for telling us how it is!!
KRO
What people dont understand ??? Where have you been over the last two years ? Everytime Zigic’s name is mentioned, this is brought up..I would prefer to pay Zigic that money than that useless daydreamer of a Coach we have, who spends the whole match looking at the grass from the dugout
LC can’t win can he? If he says nothing everyone will have a go at him for not including Zigic. I think we should all back LC. After all, Zigic by staying at our Club is endangering our existence because of his obscene wages. He says he loves it here and wants to stay. No wonder! Money for old rope!
If Zigic wasn’t earning so much we’d still have Butland!
I am no fan of Lee Clake but he has my full support on this.
Three points:
1) It is poor management to criticise any employee in public, use of the media merely exacerbates a bad situation; This doesn’t just affect Zigic, it is a concern for other players and potentially undermines the managers position and their trust in him.
2) As it is out in the open we ought now to get Zig’s side of the story. i do not see how the club could stop him from doing that given the manager’s public statement;
30 if it’s true then I would hope that the club fine him the maximum allowed under his contract as such behaviour is disgusting [obviously, i would hope they keep it in house if this happens!].
i like the managers passion but it needs to be tempered.
Sorry: 3) not 30!!
cynical i know but could this be the club trying to force him to take a loan move ????
Perhaps; as another thought, Zig would probably have a case for unfair constructive dismissal…
Depends if he’s employed under PAYE or through a company. If the latter he couldn’t claim constructive dismissal
I thought this. Could Blues be trying to manoeuvre him into a situation where they can legally sack him (without having to pay any compensation) for gross misconduct?
Stop the training session and give him a dressing down – YES
Send him off to train with the Development Squad – YES
Order extra training – YES
Drop him and tell the squad exactly why he was dropped – YES
Warn him and fine him – YES
Assassinate his character in public – NO
This is black marks all round and not at all the confidence boost needed when facing automatic promotion contenders.
Can only hope that everyone calms down and puts their wiser heads on fast.
KRO
Totally agree Ted
Agree completely Ted, this will achieve absolutely nothing except make Zigic (who has no right of reply) want to play less for Clark. I am sure Watford are gutted at not having to contend with Zigic!
Zigic is a winner always has been always will be.
Clark cannot handle him.
Hughton & Mcleish had no problems.
Explain the same problem with FAHEY..I happen to know from the horses mouth what the situation is there and it’s Clark’s call to sort it out.
Fahey is on full pay and the club’s meandering to oblivion.
A reminder…. versus AVFC… WEST HAM.. & ARSENAL ZIGIC was pivotal in bringing us home that trophy 2 years ago.He’s up for it in vital games unlike this amateur CLARK.
Charlton LAST WEEKEND HE PUT ZIGIC ON WITH 6 MINUTES TO GO…He caused the Charlton defence to wobble winning vital headers leading to our goal…6 minutes LEE you tosser…if he’d brought him on before we may have won.
Draws are useless in this division…we need to win…tomorrow King is out and our MANAGER leaves out ZIGIC coz he’s not happy with his effort in training notwithstanding the fact that he’s a winner.
Great strategy LEE.
WATFORD must be smirking and licking their lips at tomorrow knowing we possess no goal threat to them.
I rest my case
So on 60k a week you are expected to show more in training than somebody on 10k a week.
Nope.
So Zig must train harder than Redmond.
Nope.
As regards the Zig wage,i blame Yeung & co for burdening us with these extortionate wage bill/bills,what a mess.
Crackers to make this public. Means we’ve got our highest paid player likely to be unavailable for the foreseeable future.
If Zig gets fined for not trying, then Clark deserves to get fined for base stupidity.
I have disagree with most people on this one. Whilst I’m not the biggest fan of Clark, I was a big fan of Zigic, actually think we wouldn’t have got relegated if he hadn’t had such bad luck with injuries. In this case though I think Clark could and hopefully will galvanise the team a bit with this public critism. Just imagine you’re one of the lesser players on 2k a week (only 2k a week!) and you have to watch this guy turning up moping around whilst he still get paid 50k a week. I can imagine there would be disgruntled players around the training ground having to watch this guy ‘turn up for cash’. It’s the same in any company, the one’s earning the serious dough have to deliver the goods or stand up and be counted and Zigic has had long enough. Everyone seems really keen to jump on Clark but I think he actually standing up for the working man and showing the fans that he’s trying his best to get the players working hard in training. I still think that if we can stay up and not have our squad obliterated in the summer, then we will see more positive reults next seaon. I don’t think it’s any fluke that Huddersfield went on a 43 game unbeaten run under his management, we just need him to find the next Jordan Rhodes! KRO
For months I have been puzzled as to why Blues fans sing Zigic’s name as if he is a hero. His wages mean we haemorrhage cash every week, his lack of goals mean we are in the league position we are in and now we discover he can’t even take training seriously. Does one goal at Wembley really out-weigh these things and make him a hero?
That said, LC should be more professional in his man management – unless he thinks it might force Zigic into walking away? But I am wishing for too much.
3 weeks ago i made the same comment on here questioning why fans gave him hero status, when in fact he couldn’t give a toss about the club. And his wages crippling our finances, thus forcing us to sell young talent.
Was his contract too long? Yes
Is he overpaid? Yes
Can I do anything about it? No
Do I know him personally? No
Do I like watching him play? Yes
As a fan I can only support the player and he has done little on or off the pitch for that support to die.
Mmmm 50 60 k a week and people are defending a selfish man who cos he’s not picked every week decides to sulk and not be a team player !? If I was on a 100 a week I’d still put the expected effort in for my boss ! Love him or hate him and iv had a few in the past , isn’t it about team work and not one lazy selfish player ? I agree with our manager , and I know someone close at waste hills and that’s the way he is ! Stuck up , he thinks he’s a superstar ! Kro
I think a lot of people are missing the point here. None of us know how Zigic is performing in training,only what LC is saying, which is a matter of opinion between the two of them. What I don’t condone is the language used by Clark, it really is quite inflammatory and is being used to justify Clarks decision. He says that he slept on it overnight,which makes it even more inexcusable, a spur of the moment rant you could maybe understand. Regardless of his football coaching ability, the guy just doesn’t have the intelligence or maturity to manage our club.
Going public with this is a disaster. Never mind at a time when we are on a decent run of results, almost as if Clark is getting his excuses ready for a defeat tomorrow.
Clark should have taken a leaf out of the Bill Shankly book of management, when one of his new signings kept turning up late for training he said nothing but punished the whole squad, they soon sorted out the new players attitude!
birmingham city fans have always appreciated a trier and a worker regardless of skill. Do you remember david sullivan saying in the press if we had 11 damien johnsons in the team we wouldnt have got relegated !! and he was right. I think if it hadnt been for the fact that ziggy is on such high wages nothing would have been said, normally i would agree to keep issues in house but on this occasion maybe lee clark is right to let the hard working fans know that ziggy cant be bothered to try in training. k.r.o.
Eleven DJ’s? Eleven players crap in every position all going sideways and backwards. Even that was too much even for McLeish!
On February 2nd LC publicly warned the players about having the right attitude in training – http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-lee-clark-fires-1286692
It’s never dull is it???!!
Firstly, LC should have kept this in house – a relativley straight forward act; he has the flu etc
Secondly, this could hurt us. For all the talk of his wages he does score goals, not as prolific as King, but his overall record is not that shabby.
However one factor that does grate with me is that whenever a footballer get’s a public rollocking, we all take to the defence of the footballer. I’ll probably get lynched for this, but on that money and that lifestyle, a ticking off in public would be water off a ducks back.
He’s a grown man on big money who, according to LC, has put in minimal effort in training. Agree or disagree with LC’s methods, Zigic should know better as a pro.
KRO
Wish I’d got to this thread sooner – the guys on £50k a week and he can’t be arsed. Are people afraid his feelings might be hurt? Stuff him. Totally support Clark on this one.
Hang ups about his wages are our problem not Ziggies
The games I have seen this season, he has shown more committment than anyone else on the pitch. He was in goal scoring form and dropped to the bench, I have no problem with Zigics attitude. I do have a problem with our manager and his mates who genuinely look disinterested when we are playing.
It’s not great news on two fronts , the fact that Zigic is not pulling his weight in training is a body blow and of course makes me worry about how morale could be affected in the wider squad. …….just not good enough from one of our more experienced players ( regardless of his huge wages).
Equally worrying is that Clark has gone public with this issue. A great leader of men he is not!!!.
Surely an arm round the shoulder or a pep talk would have beaten throwing Zigic to the Wolves in the media!. I can’t think of many great managers airing dirty laundry in the media??.
Any manager , in any industry , worth their salt , will take under performing colleagues & make sure they recieve additional coaching & training to improve their effectivness.
Not publically embarass them , & rubbish their reputation.
Once again shocking man management skills shown from Clark,
And it once again highlights the ongoing problems within BCFC , with both Clark & Pannu boxing way above their weight, & making shocking decisions both on & off the field in the name of Birmingham City Football Club.
That’s tosh Blueboy88. This isn’t just a one off thing though is it. If you pull up an under-performing employee week after weekand they still don’t perform what options do you have then? Football is unlike any other business and different rules apply. Why should some joker millionaire like Zigic continue to be protected and shielded from public ire? Time some of these so called footballing stars got brought into the real world. Glad Clark told us how it is
No like Clark you are hung up on his salary…& that’s not Zigic’s fault.
On Saturday Clark brought on Thomas instead of Zigic It was asbolutely baffling to all & once again shined a bright light on why Blues fans are struggling to buy into Clark’s tactics.
Thomas was ineffective compounding his decision.
Piss poor man management again from Clark, & the reason why we are where we are today.
How do you know Clark is ‘hung up’ on Zigics salary.
Christ almighty
I think this is Pannu motivated.Find a way to get rid of Zigic at all costs.Looks like we may well have the same ownership for some time to come and to get rid of Zigic would be a big strain off the wage bilLSounds like constructive dismissal but probably worth the legal gamble at all costs for PP.
I agree
Pannu and Clark have a problem with his wages, that was doubled by the fact that the player was playing and scoring. Fans will always side with a player who is doing the business
I back L.C and if Ziggy cant be bothered to make the effort in a normal training session,,,,,,O.K,,,,,a manager has the right I believe to insist on extra training sessions for those in need of them,,,,,,and keep them up till the idea sinks in as to who is in charge and who decides what goes on,,,,,call him in every day for extra training,,,,there is long enough left on his contract to make him realise life can be a bitch
He only had to say he was moving things around and he would deal internally with Zigic due to performance. He has slated a man that has scored great goals, not been criticised by 2 previous managers.
Simple- Get lost Clark
Again, wish I’d seen this earlier but for what it’s worth – was anyone at Wast Hills to see this lack of effort? Seems we’ve only heard one side of the story. I think LC has had it in for Ziggy from day one hence his persistance in playing rookie loanees up front on their tod rather than put the big man in. To come out with this in public is a gross understimation of public sentiment and seems to me as if Clark has started losing the dressing room? (If he hadn’t already) He said in his statement that the socialmedialand would go nuts and he’s right – and rightly so – the fans have a right to question the managers decisions, it’s part and parcel of football, has been since year dot. As for tomorrow, we’ll see how many fans sing Ziggy’s name, and ignore another inept home performance.
Any fans singing Zigic’s name might want to have a serious word with themselves. Support the team not somebody who isn’t playing because he wouldn’t train properly. KRO
Dave, I wasn’t insinuating we should sing his name, I won’t – but you know certain sections of the crowd will do it to have a pop at LC.
One thing not yet mentioned is perhaps he is being frozen out? He has shown a reluctance to move on after all and has been a drain on our limited resources too long. Just a thought. He either bucks his ideas up or ships out in the summer hopefully.
Having listened to the piece on Free Radio, — I noted that Clark said that other senior pro’s were equally disgusted by Zigic’s ” non-attitude “. ??????????????.
Its like OP said it will all come down to the result on the pitch on Saturday. I found it a bit strange for LC to come out and say that he had spoken to the seniour p[layers and they were also disgusted with Zigy, not sure there was a need to tell us that, but i have thought for a long time now that NZ dose not get on to well with the rest of the team, i dont think he cares to much if we win draw or lose he just has no love for this club imo and thats got nowt to do with his wages btw.
Oldbluenose, Two great minds. lol
No Marlon No Ziggy = No hope
No brain
To be fair when ever I see a starting 11 with Zigic named in it I tend to let out a sigh of despair, in his time at the club I feel he has been constantly challenged to prove his worth and consistently failed, yes he scored 4 against Leeds and an important one in the cup final but in a period of now nearly 3 seasons he has in my eyes consistently failed to to perform to even the championship standard whilst being a constant drain on the clubs resources and finances…
When LC was appointed I was actually very enthusiastic towards him and as the weeks went by and the results were getting worse I was forever telling my blue buddies that things will turn around and it’s simply a bedding in period but how wrong could I have been. I now have no desire to see LC running my beloved club but completely agree with him or any other manager dressing down players in public, they get away with to much and the fans should have a write to know what anyone is up to when we 1, contribute to pay there wages and 2, Actually care about the football club!!!!
PS, I’ve been reading this site for 2 years now(it’s awesome) and this is my first ever comment so go easy on me.
i wonder whether lee clark is really behind this. in short we are desperate to get ziggy’s 2.5m salary off the wage bill. of course, hard as we try, we cannot find anyone as stupid as cy/pannu, i.e. willing to suffer the 55k per week wages and take him off our hands, even on a free.
therefore, we manufacture an “unaccptable bad attitude to training” as a pretext for fining him heavily and possibly even sacking zigic and so getting him off the wage bill. of course it won’t work as the authorities will see through it however our “leadership” is so desperate, this is one of the only options left…..
So telling the word of his bad attitude will encourage clubs to try to buy him? Some screwball logic there
“So telling the word of his bad attitude will encourage clubs to try to buy him? Some screwball logic there”
you miss the point. they now realise that there is nobody out there stupid enough to pay 55k per week for an ageing, average player, even if we were to give him away.
no, the only way they can now think of to reduce the cost of zigic is to heavily fine him for his “bad attitude” and then maybe provoke him into downing tools so that they can sack him.
it won’t work though. everyone will see through it. it’s just desperation on CY/pannu’s part.
“So telling the word of his bad attitude will encourage clubs to try to buy him? Some screwball logic there”
you miss the point. they now realise that there is nobody out there stupid enough to pay an average ageing player 55k per week, even if we were to give him away.
so, in their desperation to reduce the cost of zigic, they heavily fine him for ” a bad attitude in training”. they probably hope they can then provoke him into downing his tools so that they can then sack him and get him off the wage bill.
it won’t work of course because the authorities will see that it’s just a ruse on blues part. just shows how desperate pannu and yeung are…..
“I need to tell the fans before the game because obviously the social media network will go into overload because of this” So instead of going into overload after the game when it could be justified rightly or wrongly by the result, you say it 24hrs before hand??
Makes no sense, an now is also splitting decision amongst the fans as it displayed here which I’m sure will drasticly improve the none existant atmosphere at Stans tomorrow.
“And this is not the first time. This has been coming. Now, whether he has been angry he hasn’t been starting enough games over the previous weeks, that could be a point.”
If its not the first time, then he has been warned before, then you hit him where it hurts and FINE him. If Zigs attitude is over the fact he hasnt been playing, then from a fans point of view im sure we would agree, in the most, that he has not been used enough. But surely as the guys Manager, you would KNOW if the player was unhappy over not playing because you would speak to him every week, every day and have that constant stream of communication, telling them why they are on the bench and why others are starting (not like we ahve a massive squad to talk too).
Its basic man mangement and what LC gets paid for, if he wants to throw questions over fans getting the money worth out of Zigic then I want to be getting my money worth out of Clark too!
Has Mr Clark made Birmingham City vulnerable to legal action?
What a disgraceful piece of man management from Lee Clark. If he cannot control his anger in public then he is not a fit and proper person to be employed by Birmingham City FC. Presumably he assumes that Zigic has no right of redress for this complete character assassination. I think Mr Pannu should have a stern word with his manager and suggest that Mr Clark and his coaching staff are seen by some fans as more of a problem than Zigic’s wages. How much do these three cost in wages and how many of the players in the dressing room have been completely alienated by the unprofessional behaviour of Mr Clark and his chums?
The only words Pannu will be sharing with LC are something along the lines of well done mate – now let me see if I can find a loop in his contract to fine him a months wages or terminate his deal.Zigic is on his way out-clearly he doesn’t want to go so now he will be pushed.
I agree with Lee Clark on this. Can’t stand these big-time charlie players.
Clarke is out of order, should of been dealt with in the dressing room. Is it Zigics fault that he is paid 60k a week you have to blame the board on this one. Why in gods name do we make it so difficult for ourselves. Please lets have new owners and manager soon.
Zigic has had a few transfer windows now to move on but doesnt want to unless he is paid the remainder of his contract despite being allowed to move on a free.. The club has made it perfectly clear he is not in their plans and is a drain on their resources so they want shot. Zigic’s agent made it clear he doesnt want to because he is paid a shed load. Zigic is a player of very limited ability and doesnt represent value for money for a team at the bottom of the championship. He get cult status because of his goals in the cup which seem to excuse him when he is bleeding the club for what it is worth.
Ask yourself this – if he was so good what is he still doing here? Alot of other players moved on when we got relegated. BCFC is just a cash cow for him and he doesnt care as long as he gets paid what difficulties BCFC are going through. I seem to remember him being injured for a very long period when we got relegated when we needed him in the team over what appeared to be a minor injury.
He is taking the p1$$. LC cant sign other players whilst he is here
Lee Clark signed MULLINS & AMBROSE and how much have they cost and what have they contibuted??????????????????
Fahey won’t play whilst Clark is there and he’s on full pay.
Zigic is a winner.
Clark’s a loser with no or very little man-management skills.
Forget any result against watford because of CLARK.
Terrible management.
Can’t wait until this manager and his coaching staff are out of the club.
I hope I’m wrong but I feel that this clown is going to get us relegated.
Well done LC.
If Zigic hasn’t been applying himself in training and has been lacking in focus, what does he expect??
LC has stated that the team for the game against Watford had been decided and formations/tactics were being discussed. If someone starts taking the piss with their attitude, the call needs to be made by the man in charge, and that is exactly what LC has done.
Also, LC has given Zigic a chance to redeem himself by sorting his attitude and getting back for the game in mid-week against Sheff Wed.
Well done LC for having the courage of your convictions and putting the club before any individual.
Many might not agree with the managerial ‘style’, but no person can say vacillation is a trait.
Evesham Blue. You cant blame Zigic you have to blame the board for not having a relegation clause in his contract. Is he worth 60k a week of course not. The dirty washing should of been kept in the dressing room. Poor management.
I cant believe people are still sticking up for zigic,when mullins didnt pull his weight on the pitch he got slated but big man walks on water,where was zigic after the cup final when we needed him ?OUT 6 months with a nothing injury,i live in the now not 2 or 3 years ago i remember 2 stupid sendings off this season and 1 of them when we didnt av a fit striker, and the miss at burnley was a joke,we need 2 back clark else we,ll b watching big 55k a week zigic on bench in league 1.
and that flick on at Burnley that set up king for the winner? Mullins who played everygame until a 19 year old youth player out shone him? none injury, what basis is that on? The sending off at Bolton for putting himself about (an is debatable as to if it even was a straight red)?
I’m not sticking up for the way Zigic is reported to have been in training, (no one in this thread is) im just sick of the people who want to blame him for the situation the club is in financially. An to those people who say he puts in no effort in matches should firstly go down an watch what he does when he comes of the bench for 6mins and secondly realise that he is not a Cameron Jerome esq player who is going to run round like a headless chicken for 90mins.
At the end of the day..this comes down to man management. How many top Premier League manager’s would have done this..? I have said in earlier threads that I just don’t think LC is a very bright guy. He tries hard, wears his heart on his sleeve and I am not surprised at all. Just Just look back at his time as a Sunderland player to see the way he misread the fans and the club. Top manager’s would have kept this in house and confined to the dressing room. This is no way to motivate players or the team in my opinion, grown men like Ziggy need more respect even if he is a high earner. How this will pan out over the next few weeks we will have to wait and see, however I think LC is on borrowed time. He is an embarrassment to the club. I just wonder what the senior players must be thinking of their club manager. Just imagine what it would be like working under a manager like LC in your own place of work..! There must be loads of them around, and l have worked for a few in the past…it does not fill you with confidence to go the extra mile. BCFC need better leadership.
“How many top Premier League managers would have done this?”
Mancini and Balotelli / Tevez, Rodgers and Downing, Ferguson and Nani, Boas and Gomes, Clarke and Odemwingie (pre-QPR carpark)??
Yep, but the Clark haters will use any excuse to bash him! Never mind a player on 50k upwards just couldn’t be arsed to put in any effort!
The blues fans who are supporting Zigic and going against Clarke are a joke wiith little or no footballing knowledge. Zigic is having a laugh and has been since he signed. He lollops around the pitch displaying little or no effort game after game. He is here for his wages and nothing else.
Yet Blues fans have this love affair with him! His PR manager must be amazing. Tom Ross keeps telling us how Zigic is a blue nose, loves the club and the area. Anybody earning 60k a week to play in the championship and not even break a sweat would love the situation.
WAKE UP!!!!!!!!! Nobody will take him on a free transfer!!!!!!!!!! That tells you something! Best offer we have is from Spain, they would take him on a free transfer if we pay 70% of his wages. Everybody in football thinks he is a joke, apart from the really vocal blues fans. Zigic is laughing at us, not trying and we love him for it! Its us fans who are the problem on this issue, not clarke!
Just as a last point, i wonder is Stoke made the £3.5 million cheque out for Butland to BCFC, or did they just pay it directly to Zigic to keep him here for the next 18 painfull months!
Totally agree, if it had been one of the youngsters that Clark had slated, it would have been unjustified, but you expect your highest paid professional to act like it! Not take the piss! Thanks Lee Clark for exposing Zigic, maybe it’s the kick up the backside he’s needed!
A calm manager talking of dissent:
“That’s heat of the moment stuff,” added Lennon. “It’s been dealt with internally and there’s no bad feeling from anyone on that.
“Kris really cares, he was really disappointed but he did overstep the line a little bit.
“We don’t blame individual performances, we’re a team. That’s the end of it as far as I’m concerned.”
Calm and Neil Lennon is not something you usually hear in the same sentence, ask Ally McCoist!
The fact is that he rarely turns up in training and expects to be picked! Although I do think when he has been coming on he looks good, the reality is all he cares about is the money and if that means training witht the reserves then he won’t care! An unfortunate reality I’m afraid!
I find something odd about this. I have never seen Zigic give less than 100% when on the pitch and I don’t think anyone here disagree with this? He may be less-than-stellar sometimes but never uncommitted. This is a ruse to usher him out: LC has been dicking him around, not playing him, playing him out of position, trying to wind him up… and it succeeded. Now, LC can say the situation is unatenable and he must go. Only thing being, we now have a $60,000 a week player who will see out his contract not playing rather than playing. Very naive on Clark’s part.
Its only naive if that how the scenario has been played, and as for evidence, thats just in your head Ted!
True, my post has an element of speculation. However, having met Zigic and being impressed by him personally as an essentially honorable lad with Blues best interests at heart, I am skeptical of LC’s outburst.
FYI: Zigic scored in the Cup Final. Clark… uh?
So he scored in the cup final, he must be putting effort in training 2 years later… what a load of tosh!
A lot of support for LC here but are we hearing the real story. Is this an attempt to drive zig out ? Disgracefully dealt with by LC but perhaps it was done to decrease zigics popularity. I’d like to hear both sides of the story though.
Young lads in our squad just starting out in the game will now know they have to give their all to be picked. The players that get picked will know they have been picked because of the effort they have put in in the week. We are in the shit and need to pull together and if Zigic thinks it’s all a joke and that he can just turn up and fuck about he needed sorting.
Once again LC stood up to be counted.
How do you know Zigic thinks it all a joke ?
Christ almighty
At least be consistent….you were telling all and sundry last week Zigic was an absolute Blues legend..
Zigic will always be a legend for the Carling Cup goals. Clark will be forgotten as soon as we are taken over and he’s sacked .
And?
He is.
I know cos Lee Clarke, unlike all those training ground experts on here, was actually there as were the rest of his players.
I can’t help wondering what could be the motivation for LC to go public. Could it be the fist step to terminating a huge contract?
Perhaps he was sick of getting no reaction telling him in private?
I don’t care who is right or wrong between Clark and Zigic. I don’t give a toss – I really don’t. This should have been dealt with in a professional manner.
What I DO care about is our club and the fact that our manager thinks that now is a good time to audition for the Jeremy Kyle show. Just after we have put a mini run together, just as a little bit of the feelgood was coming back, on the eve of facing auto promotion candidates while we are 4 points above relegation with the teams below us winning games…4 points….I despair, I really do.
The sooner this total amateur leaves our club and we get a real professional in, the better.
Ooooh you lads just love another chance to have a go don’t you?
Footballs good as are the results so can’t do that one anymore but great here’s another chance.
Bet you creamed yer pants in yer rush to post yer bollox on the net.
Bet most of you wont be there tomorrow though eh? You’ll all be on here if we lose though wont ya? Oh yeah. Admit it you want us to lose don’t ya.
Clarks performance on “Sky Sports News “earlier was a complete embassesment and shambles.
No eye contact with the interviewer,nervous twitch with very uncomfortable looking body language.
His communication skills are appalling and little wonder he’s had great difficulty trying to get the best out of his players.
He management style is confrontational and thats fine if you have the managerial ability of Brian Clough or Alex Ferguson sadly he hasn’t and never will have.
He couldn’t manage a corner shop.!
We were warned about him and his ‘Styl’ of Management’ by Huddersfield Fans who cam eon different Forums and told us what he was like..They were spot on..
Any excuse for you to have a go, as Paul said I bet you creamed your pants, supporter not even close!
Reading some utter rubbish on here tonight,
You cannot drive players out, you pay them off or you sell them
If Zigic is fooling around he should be dropped,why do people always have to make mountains out of mole hills ?
Typical of some of our fans Zigic plays up and LC gets the blame.
This happens at all clubs, all the time, LC has used it to make a point fair play to him. No doubt win we win tomorrow it will be a fluke and nothing to do with LC
Well said Mark but bear in mind most on here aint fans, never go and don’t put a penny in.
They’ve found a home on Dans blog who does go and does put his money in.
How much are Clark/McDermott/Fazackerley on a week. Are they good value for money?
They were the best value for money when you ain’t got two pots to piss in
What a stupid question.
As if anybody knows what Clark/McDermott/Fazackerley are on FFS
Not really that stupid, everyone’s hung up with zigic picking up 55k just wondered if you think clarks value for money.
I cant answer that without knowing what he’s earning.
Mr C they weren’t exactly beating a path to our door when the job was available.
I think Clark is doing a great job.
Surely LC could have simply said that training didn’t go to plan and as a result he has had to select his starting eleven on the basis of previous starting line ups and mid week training performances. That’s all.
He is the gaffer and like it or not, he has to make decisions that are the best for the team and potential results. If it’s a wrong’un then it’s on his shoulders. None of us have been present behind the scenes, or seen what he has seen. All I can say is, it would’ve been best being a little more coy about the whole reason, and not all guns blazing. That’s just the politics side of his job, which he has done similar things before and will again. In my opinion, he should practice writing his speeches / statements down before hand, and run through them and practice how to deflect the more accusational and digging questions a little more – stick to his speech and that’s all.
Judge there value on where the season ends, wolves Blackburn, and some others are getting through managers like there’s no tomorrow ain’t doing them any good
And others are spending serious dough for little return
I think Clark’s doing a shocking job
4pts above the bottom three in mid February..appalling
Communication skills….non existent..
Man Management …a joke
i think he’s out of depth and tactically naive but until the shower that are in charge go it isn’t going to get any better.
Why do you think that?
Not playing Morrison for the first part of the season. Sticking with Mullins for so long. Various substitutions. Fahey situation. Turning a team that was a pleasure to watch under CH into an inept mess although it has got better the last month.
Are you used to managers that make the right decisions everytime then?
I remember his substitutions paying off numerous times. I’ve seen him blood youngsters this season. An inept mess? Have you been to any games? Cardiff perhaps or Boro? His signings have been good on the whole.
The Fahey situation, how can you make a call on that when you don’t know what it involves.
I also remember his starting eleven failing almost every week!
You do, when?
His signings have been good on the whole ……………WHAT…!!
Papa Bouba Diop …James Hurst….Ben Gordon….Hayden Mullins….Darren Ambrose…
They haven’;t had two good games between them…
His signings are awful!
Right so Caddis Morrison and Hall are awful?
With ya
So why didn’t he play Morrison for so long? Those are his better signings what about Mullins, Ambrose, Gordon and Thomas?
he’s left on the bench!
he’s left on the bench!
our league cup hero!
he’s left on the bench!
Is he doing a worst job than Barry Fry
Yes he is! Barry fry if you are old enough to remember was carried off shoulder high as we were relegated at tranmere but returned as champions after winning the auto windscreen shield at wembley the following season! We have to go back almost 20 years to think of a worse manager!
Don’t get me wrong I like bazza and enjoyed his management style,but he is living proof you can be utterly inept and still get results
[comment edited – a) post something a bit more constructive, b) less usage of words like “retard” please]
Retard?? what does that mean exactly??
I’m a season ticket holder. It’s got better from blooding the youngsters. We are 4 points from relegation.
Pssst, we’re broke and can’t buy anyone
Why’s that do you think?
Lee Clark is trying his best and it doesn’t help if his footballers are not pulling there weight especially considering the wages he receives. Nobody should have the disrespect of getting up in the morning and expecting to be wrapped up in cotton wool for putting in a dog shite day at work. Well done Clark stick to your guns. For the blues fans on your high horse stop fucking ridiculing the club and players and management and get behind the bloody shirt. Visit a game when you can, buy a scarf when you Can and keep your negative bull shite comments to yourself. Respect what we have and if you want glory every season fuck off to mufc.
Hear hear.
[comment edited – let’s lay off the petty insults]
Brilliant Jay
You’ve struck a cord with me there Jay. I am beginning to think there are two types of people who support the Blues. One is an individual who views the game as an entertainment experience and will attend subject to their appraisal of all available entertainment options at the time. If the club are doing well and they can ride a wave, then the match day experience is value for money. They also need to understand that everything at the club is rosy and that they are in concord with players and regime. The rest of us have Blues in our veins. We will always be there for the club. We are proud Brummies, were brought up with the Blues and our fellow supporters. When we were kids we watched the Blues, mostly in the old second division and were almost oblivious to where we stood in the divisional hierarchys. Just like we dont turn our back on our families when things arent smelling of roses, then we stick by the club through the good and the bad. OP is a brilliant site and we all owe Almajir a debt of gratitude for his efforts and enterprise. I do fear that lately it is becoming a polarised platform, where the true blues are battling with the fair weathers. Impossible to police, but I would like to see this forum restricted to true blues as I hate outsiders interfering with my family affairs!
Time to stick together and support the manager. If Zigic put in a display with the same effort as his training on Saturday supporters would be critisising Clark for playing him.For me this sends out the right message to the players and supporters. This is we are four points of relegation and we need to stand up and be counted. not go the opposite way.
Get behind the team and the manager and things will turn. We are on an unbeaten run and now is not the time to voice your angst.
KRO
hear hear
Where have all this lot been whilst we’ve gone on our unbeaten run.
Anti Blues all of em
Yeah right.
Who among you remembers Paul Mcgrath the boy from baby blue and pink territory, his training consisted of walking up the touchline a couple of times.
On saturdays he was usually man of the match so much for training performaces they mean not a jot. Clark is full of himself, cant think why he is a joke, now we have Fahey and the big man out, two guys who could really help us.
Meanwhile Clark and his equally inept staff are continuing to pursue tactics on a cross finger basis for gods sake the man is a liability to everyone including himself.
Why is he?
KRO
Why ? are you serious
Paul if we get relegated it will be down to him ,his tactics his buys, his formations even his facial expressions grate on my nerves, hes worse than Gary Pendrey.
Over the last few months, LC has battled bravely and used significant coaching intelligence to ensure that we have sufficent breadth in our squad to hold our own. His management and introduction of the kids has been a triumph and our saving grace. Prior to today, the feel good factor had returned. The true blues amongst us felt that we were making progress in encouraging our sleeping fans to come back and swell our numbers in readiness for a back end of the season campaign that would see us rally to secure oour Championship status. So what happens? We have an incident at the club due to a players indiscretion. The manager feels compelled to go public because he knows the rumour mills and net media will have a field day over his decision not to play Zigic and what do we do?? We shoot ourselves in the foot by jumping on the bandwagon to ridicule player and manager and fall over each other to convince the world and his dog that we are nothing but a shower of sh*t. Cant wait to get to the match tomorrow and enjoy the brilliant company of those Bluenoses who truly love and support the team. Maybe one day you will join us!
Exactly, which is why if there was a problem it should have been sorted out behind closed doors. What was Clarks motivation in bringing this out in the public arena. The only reason I can give is because it is personal, and if that is the case it reflects very badly on Clark. Will Zigic be given a chance to have his say? Just when we need to be pulling together, Clark has alienated one of his most experienced players and mote than likely his mates in the squad, and split the support down the middle. Who does that benefit? I would suggest this is as about Lee Clark, not Blues.
Hear hear Sol
We’re right behind the club and Lee Clarke
Big fan? You can’t even spell his name…
165 replies on this thread,,,,,,22 from one person,,,,,is this a record ?,,,,,broken no doubt
Nope, record is well over 200
All from the same person ? or did others have a say to that thread ? by the way the count has gone up now,,,,,cant be bothered to count the total now
I will never waver in my support of the team
Go to a game.
He’s damned if he keeps quiet and damned if he tells the fans. LC wears his heart on his sleeve, he chose to expose Zigic.
Zigic now has the right to reply.
I admire LC, he’s taken all sorts and kept going. I love Zigic because he knocked Villa out of a Cup that we eventually won and scored in the Final and caused carnage for the winner. Well worth the £20 million he’s cost. But he can’t take the piss.
My Taxi has arrived think I will ordr another. Taxi for Clark
taxi for Zigic, more like
I think with the squad he inherited and the money he was given in the summer on wages and fees Clark has done a poor job. He has got less out of the existing players compared to CH and has bought:-
Ben Gordon – Abysmal Failure
Ambrose – Abysmal failure
Mullins – Failure
Ravel Morrison – Couple of fleeting moments around November but generally failure
Peter Lovenkrands – Very few starts – Failure
Rob Hall – Can take a good corner – Have not seen much end product
Paul Caddis – His 1 good buy
I do not condone Zigic’s attitude but my view is that this should have been kept in house.
David Lucas
Lita, Diop
Short notice stop gap third keeper/trainer.
Ben Gordon – Came from chelsea, supposedly good. Gone back.
Ambrose – Prior track record/injured.
Mullins – Prior track record, has improved (I thought he was awful initially).
Ravel Morrison – Took a while to prosper, but does well when he plays.
Peter Lovenkrands – Behind King and Ziggy in the pecking order.
Rob Hall – “Can take a good corner”, set piece, cross, does some good intricate work, plays alright on the left though has the same patchy play as Redmond, notice no criticism of him.
Paul Caddis – Best one brought in.
Well said jay ! Hear hear , you lot that don’t go won’t and ain’t been , get down the villa !! Or there websites , you make me puke ! Supporters ? I was going home n away in mid 80s and we went to back the boys and manager , real supporters are proper fans than go if poss and back the team ! I e team ! Not selfish over paid prima donnas !! Kro
Just seen the interview on SSN, my god he’s lost it hasn’t he, how can any of the players have any respect for him after that.
Exactly , He really is a Bloody liability to the club…. embarrassing..
Get rid & put Richard Beale in charge with Michael Johnson
This is the most sensible comment made so far
I agree entirely.
A decent manager would have suspended Zigic and dealt with it privately.
please explain how you can keep a suspension private… would you want him to lie???
You can’t keep a suspension private but the reason for the suspension can be kept away from the press and should never be communicated publlicly by the manager.
It’s called good management practice.!!
You can’t keep a suspension away from the press but the reason for the suspension can be kept private and should never be broadcasted publicly.
On the flip side why have players signed for him ? On loan like hall again ? And why haven’t players who are so upset with he’s ways not put in a transfer request ? Why o why ? At least he’s honest and trying he’s best , one Micky Hartford kro
By the way us working class blokes would give anything to play a sport we love and a hell of a lot more for the club we love , Clark doesn’t need the money he’s picked himself up out of the gutter as a kid and made something of himself and I’d rather have a manager that gets that out of our team !!! Learning but lets see how far lee Clark goes in the game , didn’t like him at first but lets see where he is in 5 years time ! Love the truth , work your balls off work your best you can be for the club and yourself ! Kro
Hmmmm… I think the announcement before the game is a mistake because it means Watford will know they don’t have to deal with Ziggy at any stage. In terms explaining why Ziggy has been dropped…it’s not like we haven’t heard stuff like this before out of LC. Blasting entire team performances, playing the kids the following week. If what the interview contained is true the players will be just as shocked and would know about it being talked about. Or have expected it at least, they did say they had a “little chat” with RM to get him to improve his attitude/behaviour/general life outlook so I’m not surprised the Zig stuff came out.
And people going on about the KF situation…give it up already.
I’ ll be there tomorrow. Can’t wait.
Blues for life, not just for Wembley.
My City, My Club, My first, My last, My everything.
If you understand the sentiments of this brilliant Orient fan from nearly 100 years ago, you’ll understand how deep true love for your team can run and what it means to a true fan. RIP Willie.
“Both Willie and I were trapped in a trench near the front in Somme, France. Willie turned to me and said, ‘Goodbye Mac. Best of luck, special love to my sweetheart Mary-Jane and best regards to the lads at Orient.’ Before I could reply to him, he was up and over. No sooner had he jumped out of the trench, my best friend of nearly 20 years was killed before my eyes”
We have had a no strikers team before. I expect that was for the same reason as now. That previous time LCdidnt explain why. This time he has. With the highest paid player not pullin his weight, imagine how the rest of the team feel about him being in the team. I think team morale will be at an all time high tomorrow.
I think your right Pete. I hope we win and put in a performance. We’re playing ok so we need to live up to the definition of “supporter” and get behind the Boys from the start. That’s our job.
poor man management – never do your dirty washing in public. lee clarke is out of his depth and this stinks of pannu telling him what to do. hope big zig gets a hat trick against sheff wed and then agrees to leave !! well done clarke you p~~~k.
yeh way to go calling the manager a prick you tosser!
poor man management- never do your dirty washing in public. lee clarke is out of his depth at a big club like ours. stinks of him being pannu’s puppet on this issue trying to force zigs agents hand. we need all the fit strikers available for watford game – if the results go against us suddenly back in a real relegation dog fight. unbelievable – clarke should have been sacked in a results based business – ask the ex bristol,barnsley, forest,wolves managers !!
Lets support the players who want to play for us today.
You can’t compare this incident with Fahey. That is kept quiet to protect the player and his family going through a difficult time. Zigic deserves no such protection. Lee Clark could have perhaps chosen his words better but I 100% agree with his stand on this one.
As for Zigic being a winner….he can’t even win headers. The only only reason he’s still at the club is that no other club wants him.
Cant win headers ? Facts prove you wrong tho…
Most of so call bluenoses come ON here because it free. Paul… LEECLARKWETRUST bang on the money. Lets hope Zigic score on Tuesday and redeems himself. He should be our 25 goals season player untouchable in the air…and so.. credit should go to clark ..KRO
Week in week out same stuff from Paul Carter insulting fellow Blues fans comments that disagree with his . Is Paul Carter actually Lee Clark.?
paul put some very constructive points maybe if you got time and you are not at match maybe you can read them again. No one bigger than BCFC NOT EVEN FANS.. OR Zigic. Clark has done nothing wrong.
But at least he man enough to put players who think they are bigger than the club in the here and now, and he every right the slam players who don’t pull their weight. You are very wrong in your statement that Paul is insulting because the truth hurts…. KRO so get over it and move on mate.
Mark you maybe correct, but he loses good points by going on and on against fellow supporters.
Whilst I am not LC,s biggest fan I really do not what he has to do. I am a fan of the club and I would be wanted to know why Zigic was not on the bench today, I would have said why all the secrecy, I would have had to get varied statements from media sites ( mostly incorrect ). I want to know the facts and the reasons ad LC has been straight down the line with us as fans. Don’t blame LC blame NZ who s taking ths club for a ride, I think t is inconceivable that a player on a reported £50+ a week can show contempt of this nature. What about the players giving there all on a tenth of his wages? He may be bigger than LC but he is not bigger than BCFC. Fair play to you Lee that is what I say.
The sad thing about all this, is that it’s split the club right down the middle, we’re now all fighting ourselves, pro-LC and anti-LC. Just when we thought things were starting to improve…