A message for Paul Tisdale

[Herschel]

A derby game with Argyle is NOT "just another game"..........it NEVER has been...........and it NEVER will be.

Until you understand that, we will perform poorly in the vast majority of them.

Having been in the away end at Gnome Park on April 10th 1993, 20 years ago, THE LAST TIME WE WON THERE IN THE LEAGUE, I have, in the time since, been subjected to displays at this fixture that have left me depressed, dismayed and disbelieving that my club could send out a team in THE derby game that matters, with such a lack of fight and seemingly such a lack of understanding about what this fixture means to the fans of this club.

Yesterday was another display that left me so ****ing angry I could scream.

We've been to Gnome Park when Argyle were clearly the better team and have been played off the park in all ways (both technically and through graft); we've been there when the teams were fairly even and have been out-battled; but for the last few years, WE HAVE HAD THE BETTER TEAM AND HAVE STILL LOST BECAUSE THEY HAVE, QUITE SIMPLY, WANTED IT MORE THAN US.

I can forgive the times we lost to a better side, I could even forgive the times we might have been unlucky to lose, but in this fixture, I can NEVER forgive a lack of effort, or losing to them because they are up for the fight and we are not.

Read my first line again - this fixture is NOT "just another game" - it's two Cup Final's a season.......it's how Argyle have played it every season we have met them since we last won there in 1993 and it will be another 20 years (or more) until we win there again, unless YOU Mr Tisdale, instil some drive and belief into our players at Gnome Park that they have to earn the right to win there.

We are a better side than Argyle, in fact, Banton aside Argyle are a poor side (the league table doesn't lie)............yet they looked like world-beaters yesterday because we gave them the opportunity to play in front of their own large support, who really backed them.

You gave us a team on that pitch that was hard to back yesterday.........how is that possible in THE Derby game??????

I ask you, only once, for the rest of your tenure as manager of our club, PLEASE PLEASE send your team out for the Derby games with Argyle knowing what it means to us fans, knowing that for this one fixture they need to be prepared to give everything they have, and then a little bit more.

There is no other fixture in the season that is as important.

Please remember that.

 

[Kirtonville Grecian]

I like it. Having 100% Devonian blood means I would give everything to win this game. I appreciate the players are from here there and everywhere and it doesn't mean as much to them as us fans who are Devonians but Tisdale should be firing them up more than any other fixture.

If there is a team with a worse derby record then I feel sorry for them. Potentially 4 more Devon derbies next season and most probably 4 more draws/defeats.

 

[milts]

Good post.

It's no fluke that his reckon in the derbies and cup games is generally apauling.

 

[AlanDevlin]

A great post from the heart, Herschel mon brave.... Unfortunately on the professional side heart doesn't come into it. Its just a shorter trip on the team bus than usual, with a few totally fictitious comments to the press to the effect that their hearts are on their sleeves.

Look through the list of birthplaces on the first team squad.... not many of them within 50 miles of Exeter.... Just another day at the office for the players on both sides, except the crowd is a bit more partisan and the atmosphere a bit livelier than usual... pay's just the same....

 

[Kirtonville Grecian]

Open question - do you think part of it is the way we play ie we can't play our passing game in derbies? Still no reason for not being yo for the fight though.

 

[grecIAN Harris]

I don't think it's a case of him not understanding it, I just don't think his character is capable of giving the big 'up and at 'em' style team talk required for derby matches. As I've suggested on the matchday thread, maybe Tis would be better dishing out his tactical instructions and then delegating the last words to somebody capable of getting the players out on the pitch in the right mind set for such games.

 

[Oliver]

Good post.

It's no fluke that his reckon in the derbies and cup games is generally apauling.

Bit like your spelling mate !!

 

[arthur]

I agree with Tisdale, when it comes down to it in the cold light of day it's just another game worth three points which are there to be won.

Players should be fired up and "want it" for every fixture and that is the manager's job.

He has not been doing this at all well - we notice this more at derby games because to us they matter more, but the fact is that far too often a good team of talented individuals has not wanted it enough and games that should have been won have not been.

This is why, despite us being comfortably in the play offs, a sizeable proportion of the support feels that this season is a bit crappy

 

[Herschel]

I don't think it's a case of him not understanding it, I just don't think his character is capable of giving the big 'up and at 'em' style team talk required for derby matches. As I've suggested on the matchday thread, maybe Tis would be better dishing out his tactical instructions and then delegating the last words to somebody capable of getting the players out on the pitch in the right mind set for such games.

Probably right Ian.

However, yesterday whatever he said tactically was ******** as well.............balls constantly in the air to Curo, 5ft and a dog-end, up against Branston the 6ft-odd brick ****house??????

I can't imagine Branston has EVER had an easier day than yesterday................................

Tisdale needs to either tell the players themselves, or get someone to ****ing tell them, that in these games they won't have all the time in the world to play their lovely passing game; it will be fast, frenetic, and they will be badgered like **** by the Argyle players for 90 minutes.

Wouldn't hurt either to tell our players to do the same to them; but no, sadly, we let them waltz wherever they like and spend minutes lining up crosses, or at the edge of the box preparing to shoot.

It's a complete ****ing joke.

 

[globegrecian]

Very good opening post.

I'm left wondering what was different about our games v Torquay in the BSP, cos for at least two of them we DID want it most, or at least equally.

This also ties in with Cup games - remember THAT semi-final at home? Brentford just wanted it more.

My heart sinks at the thought of facing our neighbours again next season with Mr T still at the helm.