Squad v N'hants

[steve]

I see Jack has been omitted from tomorrows squad versus N'hants and has been replaced by Hankins.

Seems fair to me. Hankins was very unlucky to have missed out last week after impressing in the one day matches.

[rcotswold]

...with all due respect we need a totally new squad and coaching team. It appears to be a complete and utter shambles currently! Why oh why didn't they move to the Chelt/Glos/Stroud triangle a decade or so ago! Idiotic head in the sand decision then and now. Enough said.

[graham]

Jun 21, 2018 20:51:37 GMT rcotswold said:

...with all due respect we need a totally new squad and coaching team. It appears to be a complete and utter shambles currently! Why oh why didn't they move to the Chelt/Glos/Stroud triangle a decade or so ago! Idiotic head in the sand decision then and now. Enough said.

I agree totally with the sentiment that the current 'championship' squad are not up to the job neither are the diminished coaching team (wonder if Harvey will come back after his tragic family bereavement?)

However, I fail to see how the performance on the field has got anything to do with moving the HQ to the 'Chelt/Glos/Stroud triangle'. All that would have done would be to alienate a large number of the members living in the Bristol area, plus diminish the number of paying public attending the lucrative T20 and International games hosted at the County (Brightside) ground.

[steve]

I'm afraid there has been a fairly long list of concerns over our batting for a while now.

Hamish and Klinger were never replaced. A senior overseas batter might have been influential to our up and coming young batsmen.

Jack is never a number five. Not sure Benny is an opener. Not sure what Chris Rodgers contributed early season.

We have been hampered by not having an overseas player. Why was Worrall not replaced? Other counties overseas players have been putting in match winning performances.

We seem to have a huge number of one day type batsmen and not a lot in the building a long innings type.

I still think when we get Norwell and Payne back we have a decent future spine with Bracey, Hankins and Higgins.

[kenners1]

To be fair, big runs were needed from Dent and Roderick, neither of whom have really delivered. GVB had a good game vs Kent, but his only contribution this time has been to survive 1 ball in 2 innings. Benny has probably been the most consistent of all the batsmen (other than Bracey maybe) and at least he tries to take the game to the opposition. I think he could fill the 4th or is it 5th seamer role performed by KNB which would enable another batsman to play. Tavare looks to be on his way out, Ccckbain only plays literally when there is no-one else, and it seems amazing that Miles Hammond has lasted so long on the staff having barely played in the 5 years since his debut. I am afraid I have no faith that Liddle will take 4-day wickets. On the plus side, Matt Taylor seems to be establishing himself and Higgins looks a shoo-in for player of the season. To almost lose in 2 days against the bottom team says it all, though.

[steve]

Totally agree Kenners1 about making Benny bowl a few more overs enabling a batsman to replace KNB, (I know KNB had a good game against Kent but it was his only decent performance in three and a half years), not sure what Cockbain has to do to get a game (only played one four day match last year) or preferably with Payne and Norwell returning to action sign an overseas batsman for the remainder of the season.

Mystery about Hammond, wasn't he an England U19 player?? Worse still our head coach was an England spinner!

[rcotswold]

To quote from Graham earlier......." However, I fail to see how the performance on the field has got anything to do with moving the HQ to the 'Chelt/Glos/Stroud triangle'. All that would have done would be to alienate a large number of the members living in the Bristol area, plus diminish the number of paying public attending the lucrative T20 and International games hosted at the County (Brightside) ground."

Perhaps the wrong thread for this angle but I don't necessarily agree with your summary; feel that the 'Northern end' of Glos County would have equally supported the move and numbers would have been similar. However we shall never know! But also feel that when the opportunity to move to Filton - ease of access, parking, transport links etc would have made sense as well! But again visionary planning ignored.

Coming back to the current state I'm beginning to think like many others [on facebook etc..] that it is time for a new coach and better recruitment is becoming an urgent priority. Until our two bowlers are back from injury we will struggle; batting I'll leave as words beginning to fail me!

[jonb]

The thing is everyone, and I mean everyone, couldn't believe it when we signed an overseas bowler not batsman (though with hindsight, it worked due to the injuries to Payne/Norwell). To then not replace him when he goes down two games into one of the only two competitions we've got even the slightest hope of being competitive in is totally criminal.

On the batting side, things are a mess. I know I'm a broken record on this, but the problem is there is nobody else in red ball cricket. What is playing is what we have, and the backup is no better (and yes, I include Cockbain in that). As Steve says, an endless supply of 'one day batsmen', and I'd add to that bits and pieces players. I'm one of the few who actually thinks KNB could do a job, but do we really need all of him/Higgins/Benny yet not have a half decent spinner or top order bat? I've got no problem structuring the squad this way (clearly favouring the white ball stuff), but if that's the case why shoot yourself in the foot in that competition by not getting short term overseas cover?

At the risk of the thread becoming an all encompassing, wide ranging rant, I also worry about off the field leadership. I swear I heard Will Brown on the radio extolling the virtues of a franchise tournament that (A) nobody wants(b) We were never going to beat Cardiff to. I've not heard his views on the 100 ball fiasco. I also get that money has been tight for seasons, but can only assume that the decision not to replace Worrall was one taken by the committee and not Dawson - as however much he might be responsible for on field performances I find it hard to believe he wouldn't have wanted Worrall replace.

[procswrongfoot]

OK.....it was a dismal and largely spineless effort. However, I have little time for an OTT knee jerk reaction. This type of performance was no real surprise and It didn't need any real high level expertise to express our pre-season concerns over our batting line line for the County Championship. After some pretty poor first innings efforts in our previous matches we have at least battled hard in rearguard actions.

I also believe that we have the nucleus of a decent squad. Need to show continuing faith with some of our younger players. Desperately miss the wily seasoned pro who can use his experience to cajole and help the others. Not sure exactly who Chris Dent turns to for some on the field advice?

The overseas situation completely baffles me. If Worral had broken down at the last minute in Australia and had been unable to join us, who was potentially lined up as the back up plan? Also Worral was only signed until the beginning of July........so what then?

Off the field leadership is my main concern. The quality of the coaching is dubious at best and decisions over the rehab of injured players has been poor.

As for Will Brown, think he is in the position of "let's take the £1.3m per season bribe and keep making all the right noises to please our ECB masters". Difficult position really, as the ECB seem quite open to their determination to punish any dissenters. What a sad state of affairs.

Forgive me for repeating myself, but we seem to exist merely for the supposed prestige of staging international fixtures. Thought that this policy was meant to make us strong and financially viable rather than merely limping along season after season.

Finally, time to lift the gloom. Cheltenham is fast approaching. C'mon the Glos.

[graham]

Frank answers were given by the Chairman, Chief Exec and Head Coach at the recent members forum on the subject of the overseas signing, as well as current discussions with the ECB. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be right to share that discussion on an open internet platform.

Best attend the next members forum, they usually have one at Cheltenham for the latest updates.

[procswrongfoot]

Well done Graham......you have just managed to encapsulate the totally outdated communication strategy of this club.

Might be a good idea if we tried to embrace the move into the 21st century, rather than continue to lumber along like some totally amateurish organisation. To thrive or even survive today, their is a very clear expectation of the need to be open, honest and transparent with all your stakeholders. Instead you can merely leave yourself at the mercy of gossip and wild speculation. Social media today can easily rip you to pieces.....a lack of openness makes this likelihood even worse. Of course the select band of the small ITK crew will continue to revel in our ongoing situation, you can help to massage their ego if you wish as they sadly wallow in their own apparent sense of self importance.

When Will Brown was appointed, I was personally delighted at the potential prospect of someone young with drive and enthusiasm who might at last really shake our club up. And the reality has been...........

[graham]

Please don't shoot the messenger. I am as perplexed as you as to why they can't put something on the website re the overseas signing situation.

With the T20 period coming up we have the maximum two overseas signings in place, so this means there is no way we can have an overseas for the two championship games at Cheltenham, unless Klinger or Tye can be persuaded to play the red ball game.

[rcotswold]

I fail to see why posting comments from an 'open meeting' cannot be shared on this or any forum. Many members were unable to attend for a variety of reasons, so ought not to be excluded from issues raised. Was it stated clearly in the meeting that their comments were confidential? I do not recollect any stories in the local press; not that GCCC has much coverage these days! Also I am surprised at GCCC's continued poor use of their own [pretty terrible, slow [to give out info] web-site. It certainly seems to give the impression that GCCC has a closed mentality with little apparent transparency and sharing opinions with its members. Perhaps too many 'badges' on the 'bridge' when they ought to venture out to speak with spectators [and not necessarily those they know] to gauge thoughts and opinions.

[graham]

Re the confidentiality question, yes it was,as far as I recall. I totally agree that this isn't the right way to be going about communicating with members.

However, comments on this forum, the existence of which I doubt any one in management at the 'Brightside Ground' is aware, are not going to achieve anything going forward, other than spleen venting by our small number of supporters and maybe members.

We haven't had an active moderator for years since Snowy stopped contributing. As evidenced by a random advertising post that got through today.

I don't know what the solution to any of these issues is, alas.

[procswrongfoot]

Graham.....apologies for my previous post for sounding somewhat impolite. I rather regret letting my frustrations surface so readily over this issue.

Unfortunately, our official website seems to create regular levels of annoyance for me. Perhaps it has now come to the time for me to give it a complete miss!!!