Andy Hessenthaler bemoans lack of quality from his Gillingham side

Nige wrote:

@ walrusboy - WIBS stands for Wiltshire In Bred Skum. Best known for his time @ the Swine. Excuse the spelling but you know how this site is!

14 Sep 2011 1:43 AM

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boyogill wrote:

I guess it stands for 'What Is Being Said', but it took me a while too.

Since Febian Brandy left United months ago, I don't think Jim Jeffries' links with Ferguson would help here. Also Brandy is very unlikely to return as he was allegedly upset with the way GFC dealt with his accomodation during the loan spell.

Equally the fact that he's chosen to stay unemployed since the start of the season, either suggests he's not wanted, or he's being quite picky with where he goes. I'd say this further decreases the chances of him coming to a League Two club where he felt badly treated.

Jim Jeffries is totally pie-in-the-sky in my opirion. He would have been on far more money, never mind compensation paid to Hess, which is another thing some people don't seem to appreciate. Spend the money on an Assistant Manager!

13 Sep 2011 12:45 PM

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walrusboy wrote:

Nige - Sorry what is WIBS?

Rory Fallon is likely to sign for Aberdeen sometime soon after having a trial there.

13 Sep 2011 10:56 AM

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Nige wrote:

@ walrusboy - I've already said a number of times to go for Rory Fallon as he is without a club at present. Appreciate WIBS but i'll forgive that.

13 Sep 2011 1:08 AM

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walrusboy wrote:

Hamish – I doubt he was on a fortune at Hearts but that still doesn’t mean Gillingham could afford him. If you think the biggest problem would be getting the players to understand him you really are deluded. There would be a lot more teams Jeffries would join before he joined Gillingham. You’re not being realistic.

I am not a big Hess fan but unless someone can come up with a realistic replacement, I don’t see the sense in getting rid of him.

Jeffries is not realistic

12 Sep 2011 8:44 PM

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Hamish McD of McD wrote:

Nothing idiotic about it. I don`t imagine he was on a fortune at Hearts and I`m told he fancies a change of scenery. Biggest problem the Gills players might have would be understanding him. But believe me, they sure as hell would know what he meant. The posturing cleek within the first team, so evident at Priestfield on match days, would get the wake up call they are so badly in need of.

12 Sep 2011 8:11 PM

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Ian & Jan wrote:

Here we go again playing hoof-ball up to the one and only striker we ave, why did,nt hessy learn from last year, when we ad bayo it did,nt work and is not working this year so get your a*se out their hess find the 1 UTG

12 Sep 2011 8:09 PM

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Eric C. wrote:

What is all this `Jock` talk? Hamish you are right though they do help each other out and Brandy wasnt a bad shout.

12 Sep 2011 8:02 PM

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walrusboy wrote:

Hamish - Jim Jeffries? Ok so how would Gillingham match the wages he was earning at Hearts in the SPL? Shall we have a whip round?

Don't get me wrong, I don’t know what he was earning at Hearts but I would take a guess and say it would be significantly more than anything Gills could offer.

Also, why would he move all the way down to Kent when he could find another job much closer to Scotland.

Be realistic and think before you randomly come up with idiotic ideas.

12 Sep 2011 8:01 PM

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Hamish McD of McD wrote:

Jim Jeffries, recently unfairly sacked by Hearts. Bags of experience, with Alex Ferguson on speed dial. Honest.
Might, might open up avenues to better quality loan players. Febian Brandy?

12 Sep 2011 7:55 PM

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Nigel Rupert Plummy-Ditherer wrote:

Let`s start a rumour. Andy Scott sounds Scottish to me.
Rotherham is up north. Ok northern ish...
Put the two together and it looks like a done deal to me.
Just seen a bulky lad leaving Priestfield, ah no, it was Terry Scott.
Stop bemoaning the last few results the league is a marathon, not a sprint. As long as we stay in the top 6-10 a few wins strung together can take us up 3 or 4 places in a hurry. Consistency at this level is not an exact science.

12 Sep 2011 7:47 PM

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walrusboy wrote:

Hamish - As I said give me a name of these 'any number of managers' who could do better?

12 Sep 2011 7:35 PM

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Hamish McDougall of McDougall wrote:

Correct me if I`m wrong but weren`t 7 of Saturday`s starting 11 signed by Hessy.
What`s he doing, questioning his own buys.
There are any number of managers capable of improving this team, even if most of them are Scotsmen.

12 Sep 2011 7:26 PM

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walrusboy wrote:

Dandy Dinmont - That's a good idea lets get Andy Scott based on a rumour he is unhappy up north.

I am sure Rotherham will be willing to let him go to a rival club and even though he is under contract I bet they wouldn't want any compensation either.

Wise up, or shut up

12 Sep 2011 6:38 PM

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walrusboy wrote:

Those who want Hess out, give me the name of who they want to replace him.

Those criticising why we haven’t signed a striker give me the name of a striker who you think we should sign or should've signed by now.


The Pundit - If you seriously think Oli is a decent striker you know nothing about football. It would help if he was fit for longer than 5 minutes.

12 Sep 2011 6:27 PM

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talking heads wrote:

Can Gillingham fans please stop talking sense.

The Gills are world-beaters, who will not only win Division 2 as Champions, but also win the FA Cup, JPT and probably the Boat Race as well.

In addition, Hessenthaler will, by way of his endearing popularity, be recruited by Armani as a male model.

12 Sep 2011 5:59 PM

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boyogill wrote:

"Atleast Charlton one..." Blimey, the state of education is worse than I realised.

Yep I agree, NS's Thong - If this was a blip and spell of dire football after a successful season, then maybe the knives wouldn't be out for Hess so much. The concerns over his inability to react and adapt the formation and style have been there for longer than just these last few games.

On the face of it, most outsiders would say 2010/11 wasn't a bad season, missing out on the play-offs by the smallest margin. However most of us who witnessed it would strongly disagree. I found it more depressing than some of our relegation season, because there was always a sense the team was capable of so much more. Last season we had individuals with as good a track record as any in League 2, and this season we do again. Or at least they should be. So it seems that the tactics and coaching are letting us down.

Persisting with using Akinfenwa as a target-man last season, when clearly he was a better footballer than that, was the most frustrating of a number of poor tactics. This season, it seems clear to everyone that 4-5-1 (certainly at Priestfield) doesn't work. Ok the personnel we currently have doesn't really fit 4-4-2 either, but I'm surprised Hess hasn't tried the 4-3-3 that worked well for him in the Championship, with maybe Rooney, Whelpdale, Oli, Weston, Spiler or even Jackman playing wide.

So having just slated him, why do I think Hess should stay? Purely because without a decent assistant, he's working with one hand tied behind his back. Whilst plenty of doubters rightly cite last season and the final months of his first spell, no one gives him any credit for 3 seasons survival in the Championship, 2 of them comfortable.

It's always 'he inherited a good team' and 'he never replaced the old guard'. Well he signed Brown, Hope, Shaw, Osborn, King, Agyemang, Henderson etc and brought through Nosworthy and Jarvis, so the notion that the team was always Pulis's/Taylor's doesn't hold much water for me. They were both long gone and it was Hess who got the club's best ever League finishes.

But that team was at it's best with Richard Hill's assistance...and last season the upturn in fortunes was when Wally Downes was on board. John Gorman briefly revived a poor team during a season that was a million times more miserable than things are now. Basically, if an experienced assistant isn't appointed soon, then yes I think Hessenthaler lacks the nous, at this stage of his career, to turn it around. With support I think the evidence suggests he'd do ok. If he still struggles with right assistant/coach alongside him, then that's the time for him to go.
In my opinion.

12 Sep 2011 5:13 PM

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JB wrote:

Interesting comments on Saturday's match. Ross Flitney makde a great safe in the first half, was commnanding at the back when in front of him was devoid of any distribution quality which at times looked like a scene out of Sunday league football at Luton Rec. Quite frankly, the MOM should have been a rollover because it wasn't deserved by anyone - it was a bad day at the office all round. We lack creativity and support for Kedwell in the final third. I've been trying to think through the logic of the subsitutions. Hess might question why the keeper was awarded MOM but out him, Lawrence and Richards as least his distribution was the best.

12 Sep 2011 3:55 PM

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Dandy Dinmont wrote:

The problem is the manager, not the chairman.
Hessenthaler tactically, hasn`t got a clue.
Game after game we are outnumbered in midfield and up front and he seems oblivious to the solution.
I question how much longer the chairmen will permit this travesty to continue.
Rumour has it Andy Scott hasn`t settled up country, how about bringing him back south, specifically to the Kent region!

12 Sep 2011 10:40 AM

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The pundit wrote:

How on earth are we going to win a game with only giving Oli 2 mins?

One of the better strikers in the league, who creates dozens as goals as well as popping up with a fair few himself.

Get Oli in the team and lets get some points!!! pfff!!

12 Sep 2011 9:14 AM

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Every cloud..... wrote:

Look on the brightside though. Atleast Charlton one... the way you donkey's are going @ the moment looks as though there may be a few divisions between us at the start of next season :)

12 Sep 2011 9:11 AM

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natalie sawyer's thong wrote:

fao boyogill

i wouldn't sack any manager at this satge.

BUT we are not talking about the games this season - hess was also a disaster last season, with dire football, unfit players, no tactics, players played out of position, a team unable to string more than tow passes together, and his inability to lift and motivate the playes, especial at the back end of the season when we needed just a point to make the play off,s yet lost the last four home games and came out negative in the last game away to Bury. He was given the benefit of the doubt, and a few decent signings in the summer have served to cover over the crakcs for now.

Sadly, even this early on, the same issues we had all last season are still there. And Hess has run out of excuses.

Saturday's post match interview on Radio kent was cringeworthy and embarrassing, and Hess sounded inep, out of his depth and like a little boy lost. Heis sinking faster than the Titanic.

12 Sep 2011 9:10 AM

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boyogill wrote:

Haha yeah try actually reading what I write you muppet.
I am critical. How can you not be? - the tactics are one-dimensional, the formation's wrong and it's we still haven't got in a striker and an Assistant Manager. However throwing the baby out with the bathwater is rarely the answer. Supporters (in it's literal sense) are actually suggesting ways out of this. Just sacking the manager after 2 and a half poor performances is expensive, damaging to continuity and a total overreaction. I'd say the same whoever was in charge so it's nothing to do with any sort of loyalty to Hess. Get a striker urgently, and an experienced assistant even more urgently because the lack of creativity, attacking threat and movement is worrying. In no other walk of life do you sack someone for a bad few weeks. You first get them the support they need to do their job - replacements for Hendon and Birchall.

Like I say, despite being a prat, Ron is at least justifying his bonkers ideas. The fans who really get on my tts are the ones who can just manage an insult to either Hessenthaler or the people who back him. Give me an actual argument and prove you're not just one of the morons who sit near me that goes apoplectic every time we concede a throw. Where does Scally get the money to pay off Hess? Where does he find this mythical perfect manager who never loses 2 in a row? Give me some proper debate and proof that you can spell another big word other than 'apologist'.

12 Sep 2011 7:49 AM

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Toilet Roll Queen wrote:

Ron, you are holding on too tight man, lessen the grip of hatred!

12 Sep 2011 6:42 AM

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Grumble wrote:

There has been plenty of time to replace Adam Birchall (about 2 months now), but despite all the rhetoric it has not happened.

12 Sep 2011 3:54 AM

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Mark1 wrote:

I find it shocking how people can say we have no plan B.

The 4-5-1 formation we are playing now is plan B because Plan A would have involved Birchall!

12 Sep 2011 3:28 AM

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? wrote:

I really am confused as to why there is so much negativity on here.

The past 3 results have not been good enough, the players and Hess need to de better. But sacking him would be completly unjustified. Why is it when we win games hess doesnt normally get mentioned but as soon as we lose he has to go? We are in poor form at the moment but that is all it is, form. Im not certain he is the right man to take us up but for a large chunk of last season he was clearly doing something right as we went on a great run of form. Does this not show that he got things tactically right and was perhaps tactically better than his managerial counterparts?

Everyone can see we need a striker and ideally a left winger but if we can see it then hess can also see it, perhaps its not as easy as some people think it is to sign a striker who would score 20 goals a season. If a player or two doesnt arrive in the near future then Hess needs to be seriously questioned but right now i see no need to panic.

12 Sep 2011 3:03 AM

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D.Ross wrote:

Kevin Lear: Scally lives in the Sevenoaks area so it was probably just a friend or relative.

12 Sep 2011 2:49 AM

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kevin lear wrote:

Poor performance saturday,not pretty at all.But for all the the Scally bashers out there,I saw him pick someone up from Sevenoaks station on deadline day, a far cry from sunning himself in Dubai.This suggests to me that we as a club were at least trying to sign someone before the window shut.Proof I believe for the doom mongers who say we did not even bother.

12 Sep 2011 1:26 AM

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GILLS FOLLOWER wrote:

Ron you are a demented moron,You only do this to get comments like this,I guess you have never seen Gillingham play anyway?there has got to be some kind of therapy for you,like hold your breath under water for a few days and make us all happy,

11 Sep 2011 9:29 PM

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graham wrote:

we were very poor yesterday why do we keep playing long balls even after the break we dont change we keep playing like that we will be lucky to stay up on a good point stanley was not much better

11 Sep 2011 8:28 PM

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get a grip the hypocrite wrote:

What lunatic asylum have you escaped from then get a grip.Your views expressed on here in support of a pathetic manager are sheer LUNARCY.

11 Sep 2011 7:37 PM

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robby wrote:

get a grip You *UMPTY get back to your barby

11 Sep 2011 7:08 PM

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get a grip wrote:

Looks like Ron has escaped from the mental hospital ward and got access to a computer again.

Note to mental hospital doctor . Stop letting Ron get access to a computer and up his medication please .

Ron son you need to calm down we have not even got to Christmas and you are already a defeated man.

I bet Arsne Wenger is glad you are not an Arsenal fan !

Andy WILL turn it round but give him a chance.

Not aplogising for him but giving Hessy a bit of support that you crirtical monkeys have not got the respect to give him.

Hessy Go to Southend and give them a .

Who got thrashed 6-0 this week ? OH yes it was Crawley.

Is their manager getting trashed ? No

Is their Chairman getting critised ? No

Get real you monkeys football is over the season not 7 games.

Good on you Hessy and take no notice of defeatists.

Up the Gills

11 Sep 2011 7:03 PM

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get a grip wrote:

Looks like Ron has escaped from the mental hospital ward and got access to a computer again.

Note to mental hospital doctor . Stop letting Ron get access to a computer and up his medication please .

Ron son you need to calm down we have not even got to Christmas and you are already a defeated man.

I bet Arsne Wenger is glad you are not an Arsenal fan !

Andy WILL turn it round but give him a chance.

Not aplogising for him but giving Hessy a bit of support that you crirtical monkeys have not got the respect to give him.

Hessy Go to Southend and give them a .

Who got thrashed 6-0 this week ? OH yes it was Crawley.

Is their manager getting trashed ? No

Is their Chairman getting critised ? No

Get real you monkeys football is over the season not 7 games.

Good on you Hessy and take no notice of defeatists.

Up the Gills

11 Sep 2011 7:02 PM

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A HessenFAILURE wrote:

Gills Trevor_Good point about Oli and Fuller, Dimson is the only fool out there that would take them off our hands.Unfortunately this idiotic manager actually believes they are Good players which is incredible.The man is a kretin.

11 Sep 2011 7:00 PM

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Gills Trevor wrote:

Get players in on load Hessy and when the new Kettering manager wants Oli and Fuller on loan, let him have them as they are non league dross. We only have three players who could play league one standard in my opinion and they are Martin, Lee and Weston so why people believe we will be challenging for promition is rather hopeful.

11 Sep 2011 6:46 PM

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KevinP wrote:

Ron the Clairvoyant!!! How soon will you realise that none of us can be bothered to read your comments anymore. We don't have the time or energy. I don't think you will ever be happy - your poor wife can't be lol!!!

11 Sep 2011 6:42 PM

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Ron wrote:

We shouldn't even be talking about Hessenthaler still being in charge of the football club now, he simply should never have been kept on for this season. Last season was pathetic all round. He should've been sacked in October 2010. Scally ended up giving him the whole season & look where it got us, no where. Why is this "manager" still here? He's only here because he's the chairmans best mate. Yes Hessenthaler was decent as a lower league player, but he's NEVER a league manager. If Hessenthaler can get a football coaching badge then anyone could. Does he even have a badge apart from one from the boy scouts?

This is a "manager" whose sacking is long over due. Hessenthaler is far worse than Cooper, Ternent, Jepson, Pulis, Taylor & Stimson. The prices we pay for each match are disgusting! Other Non League clubs only charge £10 per match. The football on offer isn't even football unless we've playing a quality team like we saw with Shrewsbury Town the other Week when they did us all over the pitch.

The squad was never going to be good enough. I told everyone in pre season, but nobody would believe me. We needed at least 2 decent league strikers, at least 2 decent wingers for either side & at least 2 decent goalkeepers - we didn't get any of them! That IS whats required for promotion. And if we can't afford that then we won't get promotion. Why can't we afford it? Why's it Hessenthaler's fault? Well its his fault because we had double the budget last season in a very poor league (it's more difficult this season - better teams in it) & he's wasted EVERY single chance we've had. Hessenthaler didn't even get us into the Play Offs last season & we had the BIGGEST budget in the league. He should've been sacked! A Football League club would've sacked him there & then. But we aren't up to that because we have a chairman that won't sack his mate.

We'll lose silly to Southend United away on Tuesday night. Still we await for a striker or two to sign. We've been waiting since May 2011 for some decent league strikers & it's now September 2011. That clearly shows that we have a "manager" not up to the job & that we don't have the funds for promotion because he's wasted them!

Just be happy with 16th place this season, it's all we can hope for with a gutless "manager" who last season & also continuing this season has/is making us into the worst footballing side in this league. At any other club players like S Payne & D Oli wouldn't still be around. This manager signed those two players & for that we blame him. We don't even have one league striker on our books. For the chairman to come out 3 Weeks ago & declare this our best squad ever is beyond a joke. But not as much of a joke as the boy currently in charge as "manager". Hessenthaler you are gutless, tired, useless, you have no contacts, you've wasted ALL funds, you look a drained person & emotionaly ruined. You have failed.

Hessenthaler WILL be Barnet manager VERY soon when Sanchez takes over as Northern Ireland manager. Hessenthaler will be going in October 2011 after he resigns. Peter Taylor WILL take over as our new manager. This WILL happen. And Hessenthaler I hope we stuff you when we play you later in the season at Prestfield, that'll be our BIGGEST game this season after all of the pain you've caused us fans who've spent LOTS of money watching your rubbish teams for the past 2 seasons!

Fed up of you, can't wait to see the back of you, the soon you go the better!

HESSENTHALER OUT!

11 Sep 2011 6:34 PM

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Chris H wrote:

In reply to Marcus we need more than the 3 1/2 we have at the moment running the under 16s under 18s and first team Brian Bull,Trigger,Hess and Darren Hare from time to time that 60+ players Trigger has no real leadership or coaching brain he only started on 14 months ago now he is filling the assistant managers roll.We have a seven young players in 1st&2nd year pro's with nobody any time to coach them that is a waste.Quite apart from the needs of the first team at the moment.

11 Sep 2011 5:29 PM

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keep it in the family wrote:

boyogill is probably a member of the Hessy household.

11 Sep 2011 4:06 PM

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laural & Hardy wrote:

boyogill & get a grip_ these 2 are the biggist hessy apologists around.Your excuses on behalf of the manager are not connecting with anyone.Stop deluding yourselves,you are complete and utter idiots.You can't go on making excuses for the manager or the club.The fact that you accuse people who criticise as being non Gills fans sums you up.SELF DELUDING APOLOGISTS.

11 Sep 2011 2:55 PM

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boyogill wrote:

I think if you read the post Nathen, perhaps 'Trigger' was being sarcastic and taking the p$$.

Good posts Nige, Harold Monk and 'There are 3 things'. If any of these angry reactionaries actually bothered to read these posts, you'll see that they aren't just 'apologists for Hess' which seems to be the easy way of dismissing anyone who offers constructive criticism rather than just ranting about everything and everyone being useless whenever we go through a bad spell. None of these people are deluded enough to think everything's going fantastcally and Hess is an amazing manager, but the way fans today want to get rid of a manager or players after two and a half bad games is crazy. We all laugh at Newcastle and Chelsea giving their managers 5 minutes in the job before deciding it's not working. There are countless examples in Gillingham's history of managers and players (including Hess) coming through bad runs and sorting it out. I don't know if he can or not this time and he needs to see that the basics are wrong, but I'm a supporter not an apologist. It's so easy just to demand sweeping changes after every defeat (or draw). I don't agree with anything he says, but at least Ron comes up with ideas instead of just telling supporters that they're idiots for supporting.

Nowadays everyone overreacts and moans, but football has always been like this. You analyse to death what's going wrong and the simplest and most unexpected thing will turn it around - a lucky win, a new signing, a player finding form. Confidence and momentum is huge and for no apparent reason a woeful looking team can suddenly look great. I've got DVDs of every Gills season since 95 and could give countless examples of this happening, so I'm not panicking and calling for anyone's head yet.

Oh and yep, I wouldn't bother going to Southend. The last three times Gills have played on my birthday they've lost 3-0, 5-0 at Cardiff and then 7-0 at Shrewsbury. So stick a tenner on 9-0 to Southend.

11 Sep 2011 2:33 PM

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get a grip wrote:

Lets all kick Andy and the boys at a time when they all need our support!

Thats the main theme of amost of these comments and demonstate that not true fans are writing on this forum

Rooneys penalty was almost a miss which would have meant no points so well done mate.

However one point is better than no points.

Come on boys and get behind Andy and the team.

Andy will turn it around if you lot stop stamping on his head.

As far a the Chairman goes do you think its easy living in Dubai? Drinking champagne on sun soaked beaches every day? living the high life?

He experiences these ordeals on a daily basis on our behalf trying to get investment for the club and its a dirty job but someones got to do it.

Power to your elbow chairman

Its quite clear that Ron is not married and proberbly resides in a home for mentally disturbed sports fans.

Get behind the team, manager and Chairman .

Up the Gills

11 Sep 2011 1:15 PM

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Nige wrote:

First of all the game yesterday can be very simply addressed - we were awful, Acc were awful, game was awful.
Hessy didn't understand why Flitney was judged man of match - simple - although he didn't have much to do he was the only one who didn't really do anything wrong - got it by default. The worry there is that we are judging players on who does the least wrong, not who actually performed well - a lesson in itself.
Whilst talking about goalkeeping I want to address Ron - I agree with some of his points and disagree with others, but my particular gripe is his referring to our goalies as non-league rubbish. If it wasn't for Flitney we would be in a far worse position than we are. I had my doubts about him pre-season but those have been all but banished by a series of excellent displays.
As everyone else is saying we need to go 4-4-2 as 4-5-1 clearly isn't working and I think when we do the midfield will sort itself out. However to do this we need a decent goalscorer urgently to compliment Kedwell up front. I think this will also enable Keds to play his natural game and he will start getting goals as well.
Birchall injury was now almost 2mths ago and to have not sorted it is a disgrace. At the very least expected something ready when the loan window opened and although I appreciate it is not easy how much time is needed?!
Was nice at least to see Stefan given chance ahead of Donkey Oli and hope this continues until a real centre-forward is signed.
Dreading Tue @ Southend now (especially if Keds is out).

11 Sep 2011 12:33 PM

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Jim White wrote:

Hessenthaler IS NOT good enough as a manager. It really is as simple as that. He has one plan, hoof and hope, and when that inevitably fails there is no alternative.

We arent going to score goals with a Non-League striker on his own.

I still dont understand why we signed 2 non-league strikers, an absolute disaster waiting to happen as lets be honest, if they were good enough, they wouldnt be playing non-league football in the 1st place.

Hess got the job because a) he is scallys mate and b) he is a nice cheap option.

He offers nothing in terms of tactical nous, yes he is passionate about the club, so are a lot of us, but that doesnt mean we could manage the club in a successful manner.

The time has come for Hess to quit or be fired as all we have to look forward to is another season of mediocrity.

11 Sep 2011 11:07 AM

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Lemon wrote:

I left yesterday in despair. the team lacks cohesion and an effective pattern of play. Our "hoof it" style doesn't work even with two forwards. The lack of quality results from the poor tactics and team shape and reminds me of the last time Hess managed before Stan Ternent came in.He quickly established shape and organisation. We lack this again and the writing is on the wall.

Hess clearly doesn't know how to change his system and that's why the players lack belief.I fear for us at Southend on Tuesday especially with Frampton and Kedwell likely to be out!

11 Sep 2011 10:58 AM

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Harold Monk wrote:

I have refused to join the mad (Ron & Dave) reaction to the recent results but I think we have problems. No pace, no natural left sided player, no experienced coach and most important of all no quality up front to support Kedwell. It is nearly 2 months since Birchill got injured and no replacement. I genuinely believe Hess hoped we would cope with Oli (not good enough) and Payne (never given a chance). Well that has failed and however 'close' we are to signing a championship striker, that is not close enough. The frustrating thing is that we have the quality at the back and in midfield (Martin, Frampton, Lawrence, Lee, Welpdale, Montrose, Payne, Spiller) but the component parts are not gelling. We are a striker and left sided player both with pace short and unfortunately this is down to Hess. I won't join the calls for his head but he needs to act now and change tactics to 4-4-2. If he fails to act then mid table looms I am afraid.

11 Sep 2011 10:40 AM

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super bob wrote:

I have got say we need a quick striker to work with kedders. Unfair to call hessy clueless, we have been so unlucky to lose Birchall in the summer. My problem is with that arrogant chairman. He is like a petulant child.According to a recent poll we are one of the most expensive teams to go and watch outside the premiership, and people are now voting with their feet- 4500 were there yesterday, I was surrounded by people with complimentaries yesterday. I know we are not playing at our best at the moment, but who is going to pay 50-60 quid to go with their son for eg to watch that. Get real.

11 Sep 2011 10:32 AM

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Sunshine wrote:

Very much like dejavu yesterday I thought I was still watching last week's game.Same old hoofing the ball up front where Kedwell is on his own, the midfield is too slow backing him up, when he recieves the ball there is nobody to lay it off to.We need 2 strikers urgently , we can't keep playing one especially at home, It appears to me as though some of the players are not fully fit.I can see us finishing below halfway. Do something quick Hessy/Scally.

11 Sep 2011 10:11 AM

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marcus wrote:

chrisH- Are you for real. How many b*oody coaches do they need.If the manager can't cope or is just not up to it, then he shouldn't be the manager.What the hell is Southall doing then?

11 Sep 2011 10:01 AM

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Chris H wrote:

Agree with the comments that say we need a coach as well as at least one striker.Ron: just to say I don't know how long it took you to write your comments but I will not be reading them that's for sure.

11 Sep 2011 9:52 AM

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Believe it-Sing it wrote:

Andy HessenFAILURE,Andy HessenFAILURE,Andy HessenFAILURE,Andy HessenFAILURE,Andy HessenFAILURE

11 Sep 2011 9:44 AM

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Fleetfooteddavesmith wrote:

@ Ryan, Scally is not loyal at all. He is a ditherer who leaves things to late re- stimson.If he had sacked him earlier then we wouldn't be in this p*xy league.

11 Sep 2011 9:32 AM

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Thank Goodness!! wrote:

Am so glad I don't live with Ron. Your life would be a written commentary and you'd suffer with severe boredom and depression. Will he EVER go away (PLEASE). I can't cope anymore. Sob sob. UTG!!

11 Sep 2011 9:26 AM

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Coastal Gill wrote:

I personally give Hess 6-8 more weeks, the team looks a mess the fitness levels no where near, and after hearing Hessies errr "interview" on Radio Kent yesterday i am seriously worried !!!.....As peeps have said below, the warning signs are staring Scally in the face quite clearly.....How long he waits to act is another thing, but i am not wasting my hard earned money + petrol money to travel up from Folkestone to watch that garbage !!!...Sort it out Scally !!!

11 Sep 2011 9:19 AM

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HAD ENOUGH wrote:

*uck off Hessenthaler

11 Sep 2011 8:28 AM

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Ryan wrote:

Mr Scally, it's generally excepted that you have always given your managers a fair crack of the whip and backing.This is to be commended, however please don't let this loyalty result in another dismal season.Please think about us paying customers as well.You have said before that this is a results buisiness, and that you can be ruthless when needs be.Don't make the same mistake you made by giving Stimson continued backing when he let you down time and again.The warning signs are here.

11 Sep 2011 8:19 AM

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Craig wrote:

@ There are 3 things_ Why don't you shut up, what makes you think that we should believe your views and not Rons.You sound like a hessy brownnoser to me, someone who finds it impossible to criticise anything about this hopeless manager.DO ONE WILL YA!

11 Sep 2011 7:27 AM

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There are 3 things I'm fed up with....... wrote:

1. Ron. Just shut up. You obviously only love 1 thing and that's yourself. 3 or 4 times a day I would imagine. You do not not know all or speak for any other supporters and your constant put downs and insults of the club, manager, players and everything to do with Gillingham FC are beyond belief. If you hate everything so much please go and find something else. Unfortunately you seem to think you are some kind of guru, MARK MY WORDS YOU ARE NOT!!! When you always say things will go wrong, unfortunately, you will be right some of the time. That's just the way things are. When you have been wrong in the past you have never had the decency to put your hands and say so. There's nothing wrong with having grievances but please show some respect.

2. The rest of you lot that jump on Ron's band wagon. Yes things are not going well at the moment but there will always be bad times at all football clubs. There are clubs in a far worse state than ours. Just be thankful that we have a club to support. Because what are the alternatives?

3. Why do so many people think that running a football club is as easy as a computer game? Unfortunately it's not. There are many factors in every aspect of the day to day running of the club. Signing a player is not as simple as click and buy. The wait is frustrating and the points we drop hurt but points will be dropped.


Please remember that the times that it is most important the supporter need to get behind the club are when times seem difficult. The players need us to get behind them, just like in your job or life when things aren't going right they are the times you need the support of the people that care about you, what you don't need is people slagging you off and getting on your back because it just doesn't help.

Up The GILLS.

11 Sep 2011 7:04 AM

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Nathen wrote:

Trigger NAF* OFF.Are you going to pay for us to go to southend.IT COSTS US DECENT MONEY TO WATCH THE DROSS SERVED UP BY GILLS.

11 Sep 2011 7:04 AM

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Trigger (Clue's in the name) wrote:

Come on everyone, rally around, back the boys, take 1000+ fans to Southend and create an electric atmosphere to spur us on to a win over our Essex rivals. Don't knock Diesel you'll destroy his confidence, he can be a threat at this level when on top of his game. Stefan is due a goal (has been for over a year now...) and Roons or Whelps can score out of nothing...which is a good job. Up the Gills, blue ar-my!

11 Sep 2011 3:50 AM

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Darren's Hair wrote:

The club are trying to bring Benson in but Charlton are reluctant to loan him to us as one of their nearest neighbours, even though the player is keen.

11 Sep 2011 3:43 AM

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boyogill wrote:

"speak to any players from that time they regarded the so called fitness regime as a joke and non league."

I do speak fairly regularly to three of the players who played under Mark Stimson (including one who didn't always see eye to eye with him) and all of them think highly of him and Danny Ellis. I guess you've been speaking to Trigger to get the players' views of Stimson. Most of the others had no problems with him.

11 Sep 2011 3:11 AM

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gils till i die wrote:

Hessy is old school clueless, as for dopey trigger...bottom line is they are cheap and reflect the cowboy geezer chairman who has no class. As for the comments on here about Stimson and Danny Elliss and the team being fit? No way they got relegated because they went fit speak to any players from that time they regarded the so called fitness regime as a joke and non league.I could weep for what passes as my proud team Gills forever .
Hessy and Scallywag go now

11 Sep 2011 12:14 AM

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Mike wrote:

GET IZALE MCLEOD AND MARSHALL NOW!!!!

BEFORE LEAGUE 1 CLUBS SNAP THEM UP!!!!

10 Sep 2011 10:14 PM

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GILLS FOLLOWER wrote:

JUST ONE COMMENT TO MAKE
GET AN ASSISTANT MANAGER NOW, before its to late,I know we have little money but if it is not sorted soon,it will be too late,we cant afford to stay in this division another year,tactics are there to see no ideas,lucky to get a draw,feel sure Lee was injured why play him?Flitney seems to be only player worth his wages,

10 Sep 2011 9:51 PM

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Ron wrote:

HESSENTHALER OUT - NOW!

Last season:

Rotherham United 0 Gillingham 1
Gillingham 1 Shrewsbury Town 0
Gillingham 3 Accrington Stanley 1

9 foint from 9

This season:

Rotherham United 3 Gillingham 0
Gillingham 0 Shrewsbury Town 1
Gillingham 1 Accrington Stanley 1

1 Point from 9

Last season we failed to make the Play Offs & this season our squad & results are MUCH worse! I told you ALL that we would finish 16th, I told you ALL that we would go downhill FAST from after the Plymouth Argyle match, I told you ALL that Hessenthaler will be gone in October 2011, I told you ALL to forget your promotion lark, I told you ALL that we wouldn't be able to compete against the TOP teams. And guess what - I was right!

So now finally the stupid fans that predicited promotion can now admit that we WON'T get it! We are NO WHERE NEAR! What you have seen today is an Accrington Stanley team (not even a patch of their team that had so much quality last season) out do us at Priestfield. Yes Accrington, the club that everybody used to ask who they were. We have just been taken apart at home to Accrington Stanley!

We have seen already this season that Hessenthaler is a boy not up to the job. This is a VERY weak "manager". The boy has no contacts for players, no idea on who to sign, no idea on how to wheel & deal, no idea on how to manage, no idea on choice of captain, no idea on the training pitch, no idea of Football League management & one clearly desperate individual.

This team will LOSE to Southend United away on Tuesday night, there is no doubt about it. The supporters are fed up, the players aren't good enough, the management team aren't good enough. Scally came out & stated 3 Weeks ago that this was possibly our best side ever. What a joker! we have seen over just a small 3 match period that this is a "team" that should no longer be in League Football. We will be lucky to stay up this season, luckily we have broken teams in this league more broken than our own. We can't play these part time, pub team & broken teams every Week. When we play a top side we are beaten in EVERY department.

We don't even have 1 Football League striker on our books. We have a midfield full of individuals. We have the wrong captain. We have a defence that don't play together. And we have 3 VERY poor League Two standard goalkeepers.

THIS SQUAD WOULDN'T LOOK OUT OF PLACE IN THE RYMAN LEAGUES & NEITHER WOULD OUR POOR EXCUSE FOR A MANAGER! EVEN OUR CROWD FIGURES ARE NOW OF CONFERENCE MATERIAL!

This club WILL go backwards VERY fast. Just watch us drop & drop down the league. I told you ALL to take a photo of that league table when we were 2nd. Very soon we're going to be 22nd! YES WE WILL BE! We'll do well to finish 16th this season. Forget your promotion dreams, FORGET THEM! Concentrate on a relegation battle. We can't compete with the BIG teams. Today we couldn't even beat what people used to call the worst team in the Country! And that Accrington Stanley team today didn't contain any of the quality it had last season.

Hessenthaler at any other Football League club would be sacked today, but not this one because he's in with the chairman. Hessenthaler should've been sacked last season, I'm not just putting it down to the small amount of matches played so far this season. HE SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED THIS SEASON! This is a "manager" that should've gone in October last Year. When you lose to Dover Athletic at home & you are a league club & you get done all over the pitch you HAVE TO GO! Rotherham took us to bits, Shrewsbury outplayed us all afternoon & Accrington Stanley took the mick our of us today!

You've had Months to sign strikers Hessenthaler, you've had Months to get it right, YOU'VE FAILED SO GO!!!

HESSENTHALER OUT, NOT AT THE END OF THE SEASON - TODAY!

10 Sep 2011 9:31 PM

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"bemaons"? wrote:

?

10 Sep 2011 9:23 PM

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boyogill wrote:

Never mind a striker, get an experienced Assistant Manager soon!

Even when we went 4-4-2, did we make any chances for the front two!? If the tactics are one-dimensional and predictable then it doesn't matter if it's Kedwell, Oli, Stef Payne, Birchall or Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero playing up-front. They still would have had no clear-cut chances from that game.

Despite that, I still think Hess has plenty to offer the club - he's passionate and I think his record in the transfer market is good, but he is a relatively inexperienced manager, and for him to be operating without an assistant is ludicrous. There are just no ideas and no alteration when teams quickly suss us out.

Playing long balls every so often is fine, but there is an art to it - first of all, they need to be somewhere near one of our players. That doesn't happen enough. Secondly, Kedwell (or whoever) needs to challenge. This bit is fine and he puts himself about and makes it tough for defenders. But thirdly, the midfield need to be on it regardless of whether it's Kedwell or the defender who wins the high ball. That's a common misconception about playing long - that the big man has to win the header. He doesn't, he just has to do enough to make the defender's header difficult. That's when the midfielders are supposed to be ready to seize on either the knock-down or the header clear. Long-ball is often about the 'second wave' when the long-ball is only partially cleared. It maybe happened once today with Rooney following up. Otherwise (despite all Kedwell's pressuring of the centre-halves) the Accrington midfield were first to everything that dropped in the attacking third for us.

It's partly fitness which was considerably better under Stimson and Danny Ellis, and it's partly lack of movement and wrong decisions - something which improved tenfold in the spell Wally Downes worked with the team last season. That's what's so frustrating; these are good players for this level, but Christ you wouldn't know it from the last three weeks. Same as last season - look at the players we had and the way we occasionally played, such as the first 10 minutes at Northampton. But once they worked us out, there was no plan B or reaction to their change of style.

Hess, like any manager, needs advice and someone to bounce ideas off during training and during the game. I don't know what Southall does but surely when things seem to be going wrong collectively, the coaching needs to be looked at?

10 Sep 2011 9:09 PM

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GILLS on the Move wrote:

Its down to you Andy to sort this bloody mess out,dire is too polite for that show today,pace could be compared to a tortoise think even the tortoise would win thinking about it,something is missing you say yes I think its 11 players pulling together,you can train for 24 hours a day wont help this lot at the moment,we need PACE AND TWO STRIKERS QUICK,where are the goals coming from Flitney has more chance of scoring than most of this lot.

10 Sep 2011 8:53 PM

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wake up hess wrote:

your comment hess regards"something is missing from our game" you don't think it's a striker do you???

at the start of the season you said you wanted more pace in the side???

i don't see any improvements...sort it out...fast!!!

10 Sep 2011 8:18 PM

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gfcfan wrote:

Sorry Hess but you haven't signed the players we need. League two defenders hate playing against pace and we don't have any. Kedwell is money down the drain, he is not good enough. We need two new strikers and some wingers.

10 Sep 2011 8:09 PM

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Losing faith fast wrote:

No, its not life or death but it might be your job and its hard earned money we spend.

This is your team hess, your tactics and your motivation all of which seems to be lacking.

The lack of striker we understand but the midfield didn't create anything even if we had two strikers.

Please get it sorted and do it fast.

I don't want to see you fail as Gillingham manager but the doubts are there.

10 Sep 2011 8:05 PM

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Matt wrote:

shocking performance by the team for the second week running. No one could of given any excuses if we had lost. Once again missed out the midfield with Richards aimlessly hoofing up to no one and Lawrence doing the same. Shows a real lack of quality upfront with bringing oli on for the injured kedwell.

10 Sep 2011 7:56 PM

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Coastal Gill wrote:

What drugs are you on Hessie ???...Jesus its embarrasing listening to your rants on Radio Kent...Sign a blooody striker and a winger with some pace !!!

10 Sep 2011 7:54 PM

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Tpilet Roll Queen wrote:

Hessenthaler stop getting on the bong, last year against Shrewsbury and Accrington we picked up 6 points at home, this year. 1 point.

10 Sep 2011 7:29 PM

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Eric Cartman wrote:

The lack of quality Hessy is the Manager, poor team selection last week with Jackman at left back and again today with two holding midfielders at home including Jackman, why not Weston or Spillar either attacking midfielders? And why not change it at half time when its clearly not working? your not ruthless enough Hessy, shape up or ship out.

10 Sep 2011 7:22 PM

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Pete wrote:

go now hess. you are clueless.

10 Sep 2011 7:03 PM

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Bored wrote:

Hessenthaler said: “Why does it take us to concede a goal to come out of the blocks, with however long was left, to step it up and have a bit more belief.

Psst, you then started playing with two up front.

10 Sep 2011 6:47 PM

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