Jimmy: Please don’t panic!

Calderwood confident ahead of Killie crunch

 

By Sean Wallace

 

Published: 23/09/2008

 

JIMMY Calderwood today urged suffering Dons fans not to panic about his side’s terrible home form.

 

Aberdeen have slumped to eighth in the SPL after claiming just one point from their opening four league matches at Pittodrie.

 

The Red Army booed the players off the pitch after the 1-0 weekend defeat to Dundee United, and with a CIS Cup tie at Kilmarnock tomorrow, the pressure is mounting.

 

But Calderwood has urged for calm among the Red Army.

 

He said: “I can understand there is frustration within the fans, but the players and I are frustrated too.

 

“But the wins will come.

 

“Aberdeen have gone on winning streaks before and will do it again, hopefully beginning at Kilmarnock tomorrow.

 

“We may be eighth in the league, but we are not far away from teams above us. A few wins would take us back in the mix.

 

“Aberdeen are still better off than we were at this time last season – and we went on to finish a creditable fourth in the table

 

“We are trying hard to do the right things on the pitch, but at the moment it’s not happening for us.

 

“It is just a phase, and I have absolutely no doubt the form will come back.â€

 

Aberdeen have the worst home record in the SPL, even bottom side Falkirk have claimed two more points on their home patch.

 

“Individual mistakes have cost us at Pittodrie.†added Calderwood.

 

“In our home games, we were brilliant against Rangers to hold them to a draw and dominated possession against Inverness Caley, Hamilton and Dundee United.

 

“We have only conceded six goals, and five of those came from individual mistakes.

 

“If you finish the season with just a goal against you every game, you will definitely finish in the top six.

 

“Aberdeen fans shell out their hard-earned money to come and watch us at Pittodrie, so they have every right to expect the best.

 

“The players are gutted at losing another home game, but we will now focus on getting into the next round of the CIS Cup.â€

 

The most glaring individual error this season was the bizarre handball from striker Tommy Wright which handed Dundee United an ultimately match-winning penalty.

 

But Calderwood could be set to stick with the former Darlington striker for tomorrow’s trip to Kilmarnock.

 

“I have been in the game for many years and seen some strange things, but Tommy Wright’s handball was one of the craziest,†he said.

 

“Sometimes you sit on the sidelines and think ‘have I chosen the wrong team, or have I chosen the wrong tactics for this match’.

 

“You do analyse yourself, but you simply cannot legislate for personal mistakes like that.

 

“They are completely outwith my control.

 

“Players have to take responsibility when they make mistakes like that, and Tommy was really down during training.

 

“It is my job to get him back on his feet and after that training session Tommy was back to his normal bubbly self.

 

“He just has to get that mistake out of his head. It is in the past now and there is nothing he can do about it.

 

“I have absolutely no doubt Tommy will bounce back from that.

 

“The main priority is to move on and learn from it.â€

 

The Dons have an immediate opportunity to appease the disgruntled Red Army, but Calderwood knows it will be tough.

 

He said: “We could not have landed a tougher tie.â€

 

The man is beyond parody, unwilling to take any reponsibility cos our poor form has just been down to individual mistakes. I've got no doubt results will improve but I can almost guarantee that the standard of fitba wont. It is for that reason alone that Calderwood must go, I'm sick and tired of seeing us trying to grind out 1-0 wins at home, and the plummeting crowds would suggest I'm not alone. Fuck off Jimmy and take your brand of "cavaliar" football with you.

Don't Panic Mr Mainwaring, don't panic

 

 

 

Not panicing JC. I am just not going to turn up anymore to be bored sensless by your brand of alleged attacking football.

 

 

 

We were hardly "brilliant" against a pish poor Hun side Jimmy.

 

 

 

 

Although in comparison to what has followed,  maybe he has a point.

 

 

 

 

I agree that it's far too early to panic, we're only 6 games into the new season.  We have a lot of new players and it's obviously going to take them time to gel etc. If we're struggling around about December/January then it's time to start worrying.

I agree that it's far too early to panic, we're only 6 games into the new season.  We have a lot of new players and it's obviously going to take them time to gel etc. If we're struggling around about December/January then it's time to start worrying.

 

Yes.

 

And no.

 

The pre-season is when the team should be looking to gel, speaking of which, I believe we played particularly shite then and were also gubbed 4-0 by Peterhead.

 

There’s nothing that suggests to me that this team can play any better and year on year when we have a chance to build on the previous season we seem to stall and just tread water.

 

Jimmy's brought us out of mediocrity but only gained us a new level of mediocrity.  Top 6 finishes and scrambling for the Euro places, whilst breaking even each year might be a decent business plan but it’s boring the fans to tears.  The diehards are beginning to turn their backs on it and I really fear for them bringing in any of the new generation.

 

One shot on target at home to Dundee United.  Says it all really.

The pre-season is when the team should be looking to gel, speaking of which, I believe we played particularly shite then and were also gubbed 4-0 by Peterhead.

 

We also beat Vitesse Arnhem, and only conceded 2 goals against the Champions of Europe.  Inconsistency is what we're best at!

 

One shot on target at home to Dundee United.  Says it all really.

 

It doesn't really, it was 4 shots on target!   

 

(not that I'm defending Saturday's performance, just stating the facts)

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchCentre/0,,10284~45505,00.html

I agree that it's far too early to panic, we're only 6 games into the new season.  We have a lot of new players and it's obviously going to take them time to gel etc. If we're struggling around about December/January then it's time to start worrying.

 

The team needing time to gel doesn't explain why professional footballers fail to control a ball, be able to run with it without falling over their own feet, mark their man at set pieces, clear their lines etc.

 

Yes, it will take time for them to get into the rhythm of things in a new side, but that doesn't explain why they can't do the basics, nor does it explain why the manager continues to sign and then pick players who regularly fail to do the basics.

The team needing time to gel doesn't explain why professional footballers fail to control a ball, be able to run with it without falling over their own feet, mark their man at set pieces, clear their lines etc.

 

Yes, it will take time for them to get into the rhythm of things in a new side, but that doesn't explain why they can't do the basics, nor does it explain why the manager continues to sign and then pick players who regularly fail to do the basics.

 

Tbh I think folk go a bit ott when it comes to highlighting our players faults.  Yes there are times when our players are guilty of the above but that happens to most teams doesn't it?  It's not a regular occurence (Foster aside ).

 

I just think it's too early to judge the team and panic about results, I'm pretty confident things will fall into place soon enough.  I'm not saying the football we'll be playing will be fantastic but the results will improve imo.

It doesn't really, it was 4 shots on target!   

 

(not that I'm defending Saturday's performance, just stating the facts)

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchCentre/0,,10284~45505,00.html

 

Those stats also say that there were 11041 in attendance which I find hard to believe.

 

I can only remember Maguire’s half-arsed attempt which trundled through the legs of a few folk and was easily smothered by the ‘keeper.  After which he reacted like he couldn’t believe that someone had actually managed to save it.

 

The rest just found it a good day out to shoot into the stands from 5 yards out.

 

4 shots on target at home to Dundee United.  Says it all really. 

 

Tbh I think folk go a bit ott when it comes to highlighting our players faults.  Yes there are times when our players are guilty of the above but that happens to most teams doesn't it?  It's not a regular occurence (Foster aside ).

 

I just think it's too early to judge the team and panic about results, I'm pretty confident things will fall into place soon enough.  I'm not saying the football we'll be playing will be fantastic but the results will improve imo.

 

It's not?

 

Another thing, passion costs nothing and the most limited of players can have as much as the very best. Why do none of ours with one obvious exception have that?

 

Just my opinion but I don't think our team lacks passion.

Those stats also say that there were 11041 in attendance which I find hard to believe.

 

I can only remember Maguire’s half-arsed attempt which trundled through the legs of a few folk and was easily smothered by the ‘keeper.  After which he reacted like he couldn’t believe that someone had actually managed to save it.

 

The rest just found it a good day out to shoot into the stands from 5 yards out.

 

4 shots on target at home to Dundee United.  Says it all really.   

 

 

Mackie hit one straight at the keeper from about 2 yards in front of him in the second half, that was about all I remember.

Also being confused I just watched the 'highlights' on the BBC. They only show two shots, Maguire and Mackies as discussed. The keeper did come out and punch a Mulgrew inswinger near the end of the game - they may have thought it was a shot.