Just wondered if any other fishy's were going to the meet the manager event set up by the Trust on Thursday (i.e. tomorrow) night? Sounds like a fantastic idea to me and I seem to recall Lincoln did this when the Cowleys came aboard. I haven't seen any mention of it on here so thought I would give it some publicity.

"We are delighted that Michael Jolley has agreed to join us in the Trust Bar on Thursday, 22nd March.
We will open at 6.30pm for your chance to meet the new gaffer, have photos taken etc, and then have an informal Q&A session from 7.30pm onwards.
Entry will be just £3.50 and will include a free drink from the bar. Children are welcome with an adult and can enter free of charge.
If you can’t be there, but would like us to ask Michael a question on your behalf, simply email us at enquiries@marinerstrust.co.uk
Tickets are available HERE or on the door on the night.
We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible!"

This is good work by the Trust in my opinion and I appreciate their organising this - just the sort of thing they can bring to the table to hopefully get more engagement and connection between fans and club. I'll be there to welcome Michael to the club and ask a couple of questions, I hope others will be too.

I’d be there if I wasn’t at work. Good work Trust, hope many turn up to give MJ our support.

Didn't know it was on....wouldnt have made a difference.....no.

Whilst these events maybe seen as "good PR" , yet another opportunity for questions to be asked that we have already heard all the answers too isnt appealing right now.

Maybe i am wrong but i doubt this board will be buzzing later on from people who attended saying ;

MJ says that Slade assembled the worst selection of footballers he has ever seen, that the club is in a miles worse position than he imagined and it will be pure luck if we dont go down....
probably just more rhetoric about working hard, talented players, confidence , belief , developing youth for the future, fans are great, together ,

I hope it is well attended and someone will report back on here later .

Thanks in advance.

Live on twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/marinerstrust

Has there been any powerpoint presentations.  Always good to have live on radio  ;)

No question I could see about Mcallister? Is he our equivalent to the Scottish Play, where we darent mention his name?  :)

Macalister Was mentioned. Said he couldn’t speak for previous managers but there is nothing preventing him playing and he will be selected if he feels that’s what the team needs.

Must say I was very disappointed that the trust asked a question singling out James Berret. Very unfair question to MJ, which he handled v.well I thought.

Part 1:
https://twitter.com/MarinersTrust/status/976898231585132544

Part 2:
https://twitter.com/MarinersTrust/status/976909181428133888

Thoroughly enjoyed that, good interview.......let's hope it all comes good.

I'll watch them tomorrow after work, look forward to it

Terrible question, and totally out of order. At a time where we need to give the players as much confidence as possible too.

I for one am glad he played at Port Vale....at least he’s stuck the flipping ball in the net!

The reality is he’s no worse than most of our players...no one is really covering themselves in glory.

Anyway, really enjoyed the q&a, Jolley was great, again.

Only watched a few minutes but can we make him Executive Chairman?

Enjoyed that. I would never in a month of Sundays asked a question like the one about Berret.

What was the question about Berrett? I haven't got round to watching them yet.

DaveC can't remember word for word but along the lines of "what does JB add to the team?"

Really disappointed that this was read out, no need for players to be singled out imho let's face not many have set the world on fire this season.

Quoted from Davec

What was the question about Berrett? I haven't got round to watching them yet.

It was on the Part 1 video 28 minutes in.

Quoted from Davec

What was the question about Berrett? I haven't got round to watching them yet.

What does he offer the team was the Q
Jolley was diplomatic in the answer being a good pro blah blah but it's obvious to everyone he's no where near the required level we need.  

Best thing about Jolley, is he is one of us, he has a joke and a giggle, and knows when to be serious.

I genuinely believe he will turn the club into a better club, rather than just the team

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

Best thing about Jolley, is he is one of us, he has a joke and a giggle, and knows when to be serious.

I genuinely believe he will turn the club into a better club, rather than just the team

As ever with this club, it depends on whether he will be given the tools and backing to do so..

It wasn't just the question about what Berrett added to the team, but that they also said something along the lines of him being "very unpopular amongst some supporters" - I mean questions like that will really help confidence.

I thought from the bits I saw, around 15 minutes of the first half, the manager answered the questions extremely well (especially the Berrett one) and he gives a real air of positivity and some really fresh thinking. I really hope he can manage to instill enough confidence and positivity to save our skins this season.

There is another thread on here about the GT interviews with players. If people cannot ask awkward questions like the one about Berrett, isn’t there a danger this Meet The Manager goes the same way? An anodyne and patronising PR stunt?

After all, people on here have been asking that very same question for most of this season and nobody seems to be worried about singling out the player on the Fishy do they? :)

I’m certainly not saying this one was such an interview, the manager seems keen and interested in what people think, but over a season people would get a bit fed up of manager blarney and want some nitty-gritty about team selections etc.

I can`t say I am a huge fan of Berrett personally but very rare when watching a game I have thought he is our worst player and he always seems to try? My only gripe is I don`t think he is good enough and I want to see someone better and this is even more so when Summerfield plays.To me they are very similar players in that their main strength is running around trying to break up play and trying to screen the back neither player adds much in terms of creativity,goals or assists and I think LS is better than JB if I was picking one.

Quoted from 1mickylyons

I can`t say I am a huge fan of Berrett personally but very rare when watching a game I have thought he is our worst player and he always seems to try? My only gripe is I don`t think he is good enough and I want to see someone better and this is even more so when Summerfield plays.To me they are very similar players in that their main strength is running around trying to break up play and trying to screen the back neither player adds much in terms of creativity,goals or assists and I think LS is better than JB if I was picking one.

Wouldn’t disagree Micky, I am just saying this as an example of a question fans might well want an answer to - player selection. It takes up most of the time and space on the Fishy and it drives the natter in the pubs and clubs. Player selection is what people will want the manager to explain but if he feels it is impolitic to talk about it at Meet The Manager, will there really be much point in having the Q&A?

I think the timing of the question was probably wrong. At a time when MJ is trying to build up the confidence and mental strength of the squad, the last thing he needs is a player being singled out. He's got to try and get every last ounce out of a poor bunch of players and is holding firm with his mantra that he believes the squad has enough talent for now. When he's got his own players next season he may be a bit more forthcoming. Overall though, he seems controlled, open, candid and approachable which is a pleasant change..

it's him answering questions from the fans and the berrett question,  the mcallister question and the questions of our forwards ineptitude have been constant themes for months, so why shouldn't the questions be asked?


overall, don't you wish the fans forum could have been handled this smoothly - professional, determined, but with good grace and humour?
interesting he spoke about evolution rather than revolution, in contrast to bignot's bull in a china shop enthusiasm to change everything overnight.
i don't think he's terribly impressed by what he sees on the pitch, by the players he's got and by the facilities he's got to deal with. he's very definitely firefighting and i suspect he knows he's up against it and its going to take every ounce of his coaching/managerial ability to keep us up

The guy definitely gives me confidence, but sadly the team don't. Hopefully he'll be able to instill some confidence into the players though. A good listen.

No manager worth his salt is ever going to give an honest answer to a question like the one asked about Berret to a group of people and when being videoed. The only possible exception would be if he was trying to force someone out of the club eg like Mourinho with Luke Shaw.

As has been said above you can’t accuse Berrett of not trying, he gets about the pitch and wins his fair share of tackles. He’s just extremely limited in possession of the ball.

I wouldn’t be too surprised if half the squad don’t put the effort in in training everyday and Berrett does and therefore that’s why he plays.

I don't think Berret gets about the pitch a great deal at all, he's very static which is one of his weaknesses. It doesn't seem to be through lazyness more that he's just not athletic enough. He does tackle too but cos he's slow he often gets caught out giving away free kicks and getting booked (which further limits his ability to get stuck in). He slows play down on receiving it and takes too long to do anything. But He can use the ball fairly well when given lots of space and time, and he does keep his shape and positioning and doesn't give the ball away in dangerous positions too much. He is pretty poor but probably needed whilst we haven't got summerfield. What is clear is that when we DID have summerfield he should long since have been dropped to make way for the greater energy and creativity of Clifton, but slade is an incompetent buffoon.