14 Apr 2019 16:22:27
Before the forum trials and retribution continue on our season just remember since the Villa result the promotion game was up and MON's selections have been about seeing who he really wants and the results although disappointing are secondary to planning for next year.

The real question to be asked lies off the field with the true circumstances as to why AK left the club as this decision defined our season and failure!

AK's 26 games yielded 40 points with the least number of games lost. This form despite the defensive crisis (addressed in January ) meant we were on target for 70 points. The poor results coincided with key defensive injuries but the group were showing resilience, improvement and getting the better of the teams around us which is essential to getting promotion.

At this stage of the season we can now see the folly of the management change.

Using the form guide of the seasons results of the teams above us then the final table points for the teams battling for 5/ 6th place is as follows:
Bristol 77
Villa 72
DC 71
Boro 70
Hull 66
S Wed 65
This shows a minimum of 72 points required for the playoffs which makes the management change decision quite frankly ridiculous. Notwithstanding that Villa and Bristol on current form will probably exceed 72 points what we witnessed under AK an ability to grind out results against our rivals which indicates we would have been in the mix at the death.

What's done is done but the real question still wants an answer? The Greek influence over overseas recruitment has been a disaster and can be traced back to Fawaz final year. While many may question MON's ability to hack it in the Championship unless the overseas recruitment improves then no manager is going to be successful.

This was our season with a proven Championship manager which was blown at Christmas by senior management so someone should be held to account at the end of season review before pointing the finger at the current manager?

Onward and Upward is on hold!

1.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 17:27:57
Can’t wait for the hypocrites to answer back on this one red.
Very good post red.

2.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 17:31:28
Maranakis is a successful shipping magnate, you would've thought 'steady as she goes' a better bet than unnecessarily 'rocking the boat'. To then give AK a life jacket, allow him to 'abandon ship' and then steer us towards the rocky shore? I feel seasick thinking about our ruined 'cruise' into the Top 6. Instead we have a runaway tanker of a squad that MON is taking too long to turn away from the rocks. Is there 'mutiny' aboard the 'good ship' Forest? Increase the rum rations I say. Ahoy me heartys.

3.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 17:33:13
In our last 9 games in the league after the Ipswich game Forest lost 5, drew 2, and won 2.

If you count the cup game against Chelsea, Forest lost 6 out of their last games after the Ipswich game.

At that rate you think we could have git near 70 points 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.

4.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 17:39:13
That's why we say season ended after the Ipswich game. Comfortably in the top 6 and yet AK's demeanour in the post match interview, suggested that all was not right. An understatement to the extreme.😐

5.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 17:46:11
RIE
Along with many on here I too would dearly like to know exactly what happened with Mr Karanka and it has been touched upon previouslybut sadly I doubt the full circumstances will ever be known although I agree morally we as fans may well have the right to know at least the basic facts but sadly this will not happen.

The facts sre there for all to see ie after beating Ipswich we were in 5th place with 34 points from 20 games yet a few short weeks later we had slumped to 10th with a return of 2 more points from the following 5 games including defeats to QPR and Milwall and IF offield interference was the issue then I am afraid Mr Karanka played his part over the ensuing weeks after the Ipswich game and THAT interview.

By this I refer to the fact that on the 29th December following defeat at Milwall he stated

"I arrived to a project as I did in Middlesbrough with two and a half years to try to do the same. I will work my best, be honest and try to put this club up where it belongs."

Yet 13 days later he left the club by mutual consent after asking , by all accounts, for his contract to be terminated a fact which must surely have been in his mind for a while.

This is not intended as an indictment on either party but just a representation of the way I see the situation which did no doubt leave a bitter taste in the mouth although it is clear he felt that his position had become untenable and was without question manifesting itself on the pitch

6.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 17:49:04
Indeed. SDR. So if he had stayed 70 points would have been impossible.

My thinking on Aitor's reasons for leaving were he probably wanted another 10 players in the January transfer window, and the club rightly said no.

He then sulked until he left.

7.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 18:15:16
I suppose it depends which side of the fence you're sitting. To me it's not a coincidence that our form dipped, if the manager's plans had been changed/interfered with or the goal posts moved. If there was no interference, would the results have been different post Ipswich? We'll never know.

8.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 18:37:41
If karanka (he wouldn’t) would of put that starting line up out for a game there would of been uproar on here telling us how crap rubbish clueless he is,yet oneill does it and people still try and defend him.
That’s the agenda I was talking about earlier in the season

9.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 18:43:37
In my opinion AK refused to accept the appointment of a DOF (which coincided with him throwing a wobbly) hence he walked.

10.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 19:12:40
Mickn, i'm sure Karanka said it did not bother him working with a DOF.

So from what you said that means he lied.

11.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 19:17:40
I think he left because Marinakis started questioning why he wasn’t playing players like Dias and Gonçalves and Appiah. Then results took a turn and he lost a few players.
I don’t think MON will be here come the start of the new season, I’ve got a feeling we might get someone new. Hopefully Chris Hughton because I can see him getting sacked if Brighton drop.

12.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 20:01:55
Great post creepy and unbiased as usual.
The squad isn't good enough and top heavy
The whole way the owners are going about on field things needs a new direction

13.) 14 Apr 2019
14 Apr 2019 22:24:24
I dare say one direction would be doing better than this group who are running the on field business/choas/shambles

14.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 11:41:27
LC The facts speak for themselves. The AK form blip coincided with the loss of key defenders which was addressed in Jan. We would have walked 70 points had someone not upset the apple cart behind the scenes!

15.) 15 Apr 2019
15 Apr 2019 12:55:14
RIE, Thais the point of having a squad surely. Aitor brought in about 20 players yet he forgot to get quality back up for the defence.