County Match - Derbys 19/08/2008

Smiffy · County Match - Derbys 19/08/2008

Well, what happened guys?

The 'B' team only managed to get 11 points (assuming that Dave Woods won the last game which he looked favourite to do when I left). The 'A' team lost as well.

I cannot comment on how the 'A' team played. However, the 'B' team is another matter. In my opinion, as a team, we did not perform at all well. It was embarrassing Embarassed

. Easy finishes were made to look like very hard ones. Mostly due to the poor shot choices, missing pots that should never be missed and poor positional play. A lot of players were clearly struggling, and looked very low on confidence. I'm not sure what the solution is. If we play that poorly next match against Staffs, we will be lucky to win 6 games.

It's a tough one for you Paddy, but something needs to be done. The morale after the match was lower than a snakes gonads. We need to get our confidence back. But to do that we need a good performance/win, but that needs confidence. How we break this viscous circle I don't know.

Derby have shown that it is possible. Remember how poor they were when they first started? Look at them now - I would rate them at least as high as fourth in the region. I can recall not that many years back when we were pushing for honours, and eventually finished second to a very good Staffs side. Where has it all gone wrong?

We are also losing Bertie Baxter, which is a great shame. He was so demoralised by his poor performance that he has decided to quit county (and this time I think he really means it). When the likes of Bertie start giving up, we have a problem.

pads8ball

interesting comments

Individual players need to look at their own game and make adjustments,taking rash clearances on and missing easy blacks is down to the individual. This season was always going to be a transitional one as we lose many of the top notch players for one reason or another - often family or work commitments and we find steady B team players are having to step up.

IF we took a leaf from derbyshire books you look they stay together as a team - support each other and have built up a good team spirit over the last 2 years - on the otherhand we wander off playing snooker/ arrive late or not at all and then proceed to complain aout the team spirit of other teams rather than generating our own.

players need to be ready to play for their places and I hope bertie reconsiders - he needs to drop down to B TEAM and get some wins under his belt.

There is a will to learn from this year and maybe we need to call a full team meeting before the next game to have a frank airing of views - some players just are not performing and yet it seems to be everybody's fault but their own. We can call up players outside of the squad after the next game but looking at interleague i'm not sure how many are available but we have discussed some fresh faces being offered the chance.

JUST A STARTER FOR TEN LET'S HAVE SOME DEBATE.

discomonkey · team morale

i am a new player in this county set-up and the first thing that has struck me since arriving is that there is very little cameraderie betweeen the players.
Of course we all want each other to win, however unless it is something extraordinary then there is very little reaction to a win or a loss. This has to change all great sides have an immense and unbreakable team spirit, unbowed support for one another.
In terms of who should be dropped or retained, as a new player that is not for me too say, however i will say that these performances will continue regardless of the players playing the frames if we are not backing each other throughout the matches. It is a simple formula, if we are supporting each other fully and enjoying ourselves while we are playing it will relax us and the performances will come, because in the main the players we have are good enough to perform successfully at this level.
I am calling on the big and experienced players in the side to come out fighting in the next game, you guys have been there and know what it is about.

Staffs are going to come to boston having seen these reults expecting to destroy us and if we come out all guns blazing we an give oursleves a chance. FF lets show this region that we can play pool as a team as well as individually.

Smiffy

poolshark · Deby Match results

Gents, I am very intrigued & heartened by the replies so far on the forum but it's only 2 out of a squad of 30!.

In some ways you all are correct to parts to the problem. Where my views differ is that a big win will not bring back confidence and see us straight. This is not the case; what we all need to realise is that we are a weak team that have managed to get results by punching above our weight and that we had more quality in early season in our side. The loss of players to support the missing 'A' team players have left the 'B' team short and placed additional pressure on to the shoulders of 4 or 5 'B' experienced players. At present the County doesn't have strength in depth due to the commitments Paddy mentioned, it has no super 18yrs old coming through (promising juniors though) and I thought that this was a young persons sport.

MIND SET
Last sunday 4 senior players in the side discussed needing to win 14 out of 16 to have any change of a result, that tells a story into the thought patterns with regard to strength in depth and I too find it strange how some find it really easy to lose and will not change their game style to suit the balls on the table at the time.

We cannot afford to give so many frames away in the first 22. If you have a commanding lead in the 1st half it becomes easier to chance your arm & places further pressure on the trailing team not to make mistakes. We need to dig in & win ugly if needed.

I watched almost all frames and was present at the end (not like most folk - team spirit) & I tried to get an atmosphere going as usual, though mostly single hand idly (paddy's comments on snooker & travelling times etc are spot on). Some people may feel like they're a big fish in Lincolnshire but they are only treading water in the bigger regional pond & are waiting to sink. We all need to step up to the plate, stiff upper lip, not get bogged down when we lose a frame, put it down to experience and learn from it. Pool is not life or death, put the loss down to a lesson and move on, don't fester on it. I have also had enough of the "I was unlucky" brigade. Luck swings both ways and sometimes you have to make your own. On sunday I got cleared out twice in the first two frames following bad luck and then played myself into position (it didn't look pretty) to get my bit of luck to win the next 2.

But lets not lose sight and forget that Derby actually played very well and I thought the tables played very well compared to most. Yes there were a few scrappy players and dodgy games as usual, but there were 7 full single clearances & 9 - 2 visit clearances after we made the initial mistake. Thats 16 frames and with 7 big misses at the final black stage gave us a grand total of 23 - nil. No one would rcover from that.

I also watched several long frames that we couldn't have turned around because of the position of the balls at the time, but what was good was that players like Alan & James Ray dug in & tried to turn them frames around where others would have thrown the towl in. Lets see more of that adaptive dunkirk spirit and we won't go far wrong in the long run.

Some of the issues we all face are structural & cultural problems that exist within the 2nd largest bordered rural county in England. These will not be easily overcome, without unity and hard work.

So 10 things for individuals to consider:

1) Start up more interleague teams, based on friendships and lets have 12 teams in the league next season & not 5 with the same old faces. (the more that play the cheaper it becomes for all & a wider pool of players gain experience which can be recruited from)
2) Help develop youth players at your town local level - set up junior pool leagues like the east coast have. (interleague venues also need to allow under 18's in to play) this will eventually fill the age gap from 15yrs to 35yrs.
3) Consider a change in trial format based on single frame pressures & not best of 7 etc. Best players always win over distance but can not always cut it on the 1 frame basis - we all need to hit the 1st frame running on all cylinders.
4) Be more friendly, be prepared to put yourselves out more & show respect for others in the County (turn up on time & communicate problems at your earliest opportunity).
5) Don't be instantly negative & dismissive of new suggestions / idea's.
6) Captains & players to reply and complete paperwork & return calls on time.
7) Discuss in your local town leagues to consider moving to world rules or organise cross town winners cups etc (grass roots involvement). I will help you if you need some advice sorting it out.
Cool

Get local leagues to make contact & affiliate to the County set up.
9) Be supportive and accept the differences in other, we all have different abilities, but if we aren't good enough then offer to step aside.
10) Lets start to enjoy ourselves!!!!

KEEP YOUR CUE STRAIGHT!!!

discomonkey

i agree with a lot of what you are saying, i believe there are 2 standout issues tha need to be addressed if we aree to turn this season around and make some sort of success out it.

1. We have to get the teamspirit in order, that has been discussed and we will see what happens next weekend and then we can assess that situation again.

2. I believe because of a lack of depth to the squad we are having to count on our big players getting 3 or 4 everytime to keep us afloat, i believe we should definately bring some additional players so we have competition for places and maybe even look at promoting some of the top youngsters although it would be a detriment to the youth team it would give those players invaluable experience and give the b team the necessary boost in enthusiasm and desire. This would also give the lower b teamers something to think about in terms of competition for places, alo players like sam and kye could well be pushing towards a team places next season.

pads8ball · county match v derbys

well
nice to see some interest being stirred, wish we were seeing others on here though as well.

lots of good constructive comments not all I agree with but respect people's right to say so.

I'm intending to call up 25/26 players this match and therefore we will see whose in it for the team and whose not. Anybody not performing should be prepared to step aside and watch and learn-even an old-timer like myself is still learning.

There will be some surprises and we need to see that players are prepared to dig deep for the county when things are against them.

All players can hve a bad time but they then need to look at their game,make adjustments and put the practice in.

Juniors at the top end are still in contention for England squad places but others are prepared to step up but not yet.

Players who drop out because performances have not been good need to put the efforts in to come again -interleague is the best place to do this.

It's my honest belief that the demise of the interleague has been a real problem so people need to rally around and try to get more teams in - if you are not playing these rules regularly and competitively you can't expect to compete with the very best which is what our region produces.

Please however remember we have lost 5 or 6 high quality players this year which even the very best teams would struggle to cope with

Karel/Neil/ Gwyth/Aidan/Brett this season - Danny unfortunately hasn't been his ever-present self this year.

All these would hold a place down even in Staffs or Leicester -this has meant good quality B TEAM PLAYERS have had to step up but with all due respect are not the consistent quality of those mentioned.

We can begin to turn things around but practice, playing ugly sometimes and supporting each other is what it is all about - this match we will expect all players there on time -latecomers will start as reserves unless we are otherwise informed.

Michele

On a positive note can i just say congrats to the Ladies side for winning their first match of season, we have a great team spirit and are very supportive of all the team, we might not be as loud as some of other ladies teams but we make sure that we all have a good day win or lose.
Good luck Lincs for next match, positive moods and above all just enjoy the day Smile

poolshark · Last County Match

Here, Here Michelle!!!

It was great on Sunday when you Ladies won & I enjoyed watching the last few frames and giving my support, sharing a few nervous moments when it came down to the cruch.

Well done to all.

County Match - Derbys 19/08/2008

team morale

Deby Match results

county match v derbys

Last County Match