Paul Tisdale has already said that he won't put his first team out against the Cherries today. It is not surprising as he used 24 players in Exeter's last match against Weston-Super-Mare and like AFCB, Tisdale is looking to get as many players fit for the start of the season as he can. That does make these pre-season friendlies more like training sessions and while it is good to see the new signings fans want to see a good game. AFCB are still expected to rotate players, but Exeter are well aware of the quality that Eddie Howe has in his squad.
AFC Bournemouth enjoyed a 0-2 win over Exeter City in the Capital One Cup last season and for 54 minutes the Cherries found it difficult to score against the Grecians. Only an own goal and a well taken debut goal by Dan Gosling got the Cherries through the tie last August. It was an early season game in which Baily Cargill also played along with Ian Harte and Darryl Flahavan in goal. Time flies and the AFCB team today may include Cargill and Gosling, but even picking from a squad of 25 there are not that many weaknesses in AFCB's line up as Philadelphia Union found out.
Exeter themselves though have some new players. Among those said to have started their Grecian careers well are Bobby Olejnik, 28, who is a keeper who was previously at Peterborough and is a former Austrian U21 international player. Equally as easy to pronounce is the name of Manny Oyeleke, who is a midfielder that was released by Brentford in May. Lee Holmes, a former Saint's player, has also been playing well on the wing having been signed from Preston North End.
Having had reasonable outings against East Fife (1-1) and narrow 1-0 defeat against Arbroath as well as a 2-1 win over Weston-Super-Mare on Wednesday, the Grecians have been fairly tight in defence and they will have to work out a way of stopping the Cherries from having too much possession. I'm hoping that Eddie Howe plays as many of the younger squad members as he can in this one - it would be great to see Cornick and Cargill pushing for places.
PremierTalk asks whether AFC Bournemouth's first league opponents are in turmoil as Fabian Delph decides that his home really is in Manchester after all - you couldn't make it up!
This is a fan’s personal view of AFC Bournemouth from the outside looking in. It reports on the daily official activities reported by the club and comments made by individual fans on social media and fanbase websites. Life as an AFCB fan is never dull. As a life-long supporter of the Cherries, it is the friendliness of the staff, fans and my enthusiasm for the club that inspired me to write this blog.
Showing posts with label Paul Tisdale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Tisdale. Show all posts
Saturday, 18 July 2015
Friday, 17 July 2015
North Devon Grecians look forward to AFCB test
Rival LinesMatch Preview
Exeter City v AFCB friendly
Blogger Interview: North Devon Grecians
Twitter @ndgrecians
It didn't take me long to find a West country contact for an inside view on what Exeter City's preparations have been like this summer. If you remember we had a word with Philip Sanders about a year ago and he is still fanatical about Exeter City as he is chairman of the North Devon Grecians. So how are matters down at St James Park?
CC: Are you happy to see Paul Tisdale stay at Exeter City for such a long time?
NDG: Great question and one which I feel splits the City supporters. There is no doubt Paul is a very intelligent person held in high regard by his peers. However he fails to endear himself to the supporters with what at times appears to be an arrogant facade overhaul I am pleased he is still the Manager of Exeter City Football Club.
CC: What has been the best news so far about the summer signing news for Exeter fans?
NDG: We signed an experienced goalkeeper in Olejnik who I feel will give us stability at the back and give our two young keepers time to develops. Holmes showed last season when on loan to us he is a strong positive left sided player with the ability to cross the ball accurately. Brown and Oyeleke I haven't seen as yet but the right age to establish them in the game.
CC: Midfielder Matt Grimes was snapped up by Swansea last January so is it a real struggle to keep hold of your good young players?
NDG: Yes on two fronts. Finance will always be a challenge for a club like the City. We are a Supporters Trust Club and therefore no benefactor in the background to plough money in regardless. Secondly players with such ability must be allowed to progress their careers.
CC: What do you feel about the other pre-season friendlies Exeter have and the teams you'll be playing?
NDG: I consider this year we have a good split of friendlies which should lead us into the season 'up and running'.
CC: You start your league campaign against Yeovil - that must be a full house for you surely?
NDG: Great opening match which I would love to think will give us full house.
CC: Can you get out of League Two in the right direction this coming season or do you think League Two is much harder this coming season than last?
NDG: I think the standard of league two will be similar to the last season. In July I am always confident of promotion!
CC: What is the pitch like at St James Park at the moment - any re-turfing been done - is it lush and green?
NDG: Over the last few seasons our playing surface as been excellent. Something I believe Paul insist on. I think during the close season it has been reseeded.
CC: I hear there are development plans for the ground - do you need more capacity?
NDG: There are plans to develop the ground but very much in the early stages. Don't feel capacity is the problem rather the old grandstand and away supporters end which for the 21st century are not acceptable.
CC: How do you expect the Exeter team to set up against AFC Bournemouth? - Pick the team if you can
NDG: Impossible to predict but sure the majority of the squad will be give a run out and perhaps a couple of players still on trail.
CC: Are there any AFC Bournemouth players that you look forward to seeing play?
NDG: I saw the cherries play a couple of seasons ago and was very impressed with Matt Richie. Now tell me he no longer at the club.
CC: Is it annoying for Exeter fans to see the Cherries in the Premier League or does it inspire the fans and the players to know that a team can rise through the leagues? I hope it's the latter.
NDG: Oh, I like this question. Bournemouth reaching the Premier League was one of the highlights of last season for me. If proves the pyramid system works. No words can express my admiration for your manager Eddie Howe and the set up he has put in place.
Finally following on from the last question I wish everyone connected to the AFC Bournemouth a successful season and make no mistake you deserve your Premiership status.
Exeter City v AFCB friendly
Blogger Interview: North Devon Grecians
Twitter @ndgrecians
CC: Are you happy to see Paul Tisdale stay at Exeter City for such a long time?
NDG: Great question and one which I feel splits the City supporters. There is no doubt Paul is a very intelligent person held in high regard by his peers. However he fails to endear himself to the supporters with what at times appears to be an arrogant facade overhaul I am pleased he is still the Manager of Exeter City Football Club.
CC: What has been the best news so far about the summer signing news for Exeter fans?
NDG: We signed an experienced goalkeeper in Olejnik who I feel will give us stability at the back and give our two young keepers time to develops. Holmes showed last season when on loan to us he is a strong positive left sided player with the ability to cross the ball accurately. Brown and Oyeleke I haven't seen as yet but the right age to establish them in the game.
CC: Midfielder Matt Grimes was snapped up by Swansea last January so is it a real struggle to keep hold of your good young players?
NDG: Yes on two fronts. Finance will always be a challenge for a club like the City. We are a Supporters Trust Club and therefore no benefactor in the background to plough money in regardless. Secondly players with such ability must be allowed to progress their careers.
CC: What do you feel about the other pre-season friendlies Exeter have and the teams you'll be playing?
NDG: I consider this year we have a good split of friendlies which should lead us into the season 'up and running'.
CC: You start your league campaign against Yeovil - that must be a full house for you surely?
NDG: Great opening match which I would love to think will give us full house.
CC: Can you get out of League Two in the right direction this coming season or do you think League Two is much harder this coming season than last?
NDG: I think the standard of league two will be similar to the last season. In July I am always confident of promotion!
CC: What is the pitch like at St James Park at the moment - any re-turfing been done - is it lush and green?
NDG: Over the last few seasons our playing surface as been excellent. Something I believe Paul insist on. I think during the close season it has been reseeded.
CC: I hear there are development plans for the ground - do you need more capacity?
NDG: There are plans to develop the ground but very much in the early stages. Don't feel capacity is the problem rather the old grandstand and away supporters end which for the 21st century are not acceptable.
CC: How do you expect the Exeter team to set up against AFC Bournemouth? - Pick the team if you can
NDG: Impossible to predict but sure the majority of the squad will be give a run out and perhaps a couple of players still on trail.
CC: Are there any AFC Bournemouth players that you look forward to seeing play?
NDG: I saw the cherries play a couple of seasons ago and was very impressed with Matt Richie. Now tell me he no longer at the club.
CC: Is it annoying for Exeter fans to see the Cherries in the Premier League or does it inspire the fans and the players to know that a team can rise through the leagues? I hope it's the latter.
NDG: Oh, I like this question. Bournemouth reaching the Premier League was one of the highlights of last season for me. If proves the pyramid system works. No words can express my admiration for your manager Eddie Howe and the set up he has put in place.
Finally following on from the last question I wish everyone connected to the AFC Bournemouth a successful season and make no mistake you deserve your Premiership status.
CC: Well it was great to hear from Philip again and very pleasing to know that at least one Exeter City fan wishes AFCB all the best in the Premier League. If you visit the North Devon Grecians' site you'll see that they are already checking on Exeter City's form with their Scottish tour.
Transfer gossip: AFCB have been linked with Jordan Rhodes of Blackburn Rovers, reports Shoot Magazine.
Meanwhile AFCB's first home match against Aston Villa is to be shown on Setanta TV. The match time though remains unchanged.
Transfer gossip: AFCB have been linked with Jordan Rhodes of Blackburn Rovers, reports Shoot Magazine.
Meanwhile AFCB's first home match against Aston Villa is to be shown on Setanta TV. The match time though remains unchanged.
Tuesday, 12 August 2014
It's all been going on at Exeter City ahead of AFCB's visit
I know it's tough down in League Two and some clubs have it harder than others. AFCB's opponents tonight though in the Capital One Cup could have had an easier ride over the summer. At first questions were asked about the wisdom of taking the team as far away as Brazil in pre-season when funds might better be spent on other things. Then there was a social media storm with captain Danny Coles finding himself stripped of the captaincy and transfer listed. I haven't even got to the chief executive, Guy Wolfenden, resigning and manager Paul Tisdale naming himself as a player for the first league game against Portsmouth, as the squad had a bug and was short of numbers. Oh, and the club has a transfer embargo as well.
Such problems make you think that Paul Tisdale is quite a special manager. This is reinforced when you see that he is the second longest serving football league manager. Only Arsen Wenger is above him in that respect and up until last year Tisdale probably had just as much silverware in the boardroom cabinet (Eddie Howe is already 27th by the way). But seriously, it takes a special kind of manager to deal with all the non-football matters of a club when you are in League Two and yet don't let anyone tell you that the fans don't see their football as a life or death matter. It matters to Exeter fans how they do against rivals Plymouth and even Torquay Utd in pre-season. The relegation of Torquay probably seemed good to the Exeter fans but in the long run they need their derby matches as something to look forward to I would have thought.
Exeter are showing that they are up for the fight this season and probably felt unlucky not to get all three points in their first league game against a strong Pompey side on Saturday. The side that Tisdale put out probably gives a pretty good idea of how the team will set up as they don't have a vast array of numbers. Tom Nichol's was on target then and the forward is only 20 and will surely improve under Tisdale's coaching, while he is on loan from Dorchester Town. Exeter's problems though are highlighted by the fact that they only had four shots at goal against Portsmouth all match, but at least they were all on target. The difficulties over the depth of the squad are shown in that fact that the team has first year professionals like Jason Pope and Connor-Riley Lowe, while Ollie Watkins was on the bench on Saturday and in July was said not yet to have make a first team debut. So it really is a bit of a Development squad at Exeter with some seasoned professionals like, Pat Baldwin who is on loan from Southend and Matt Oakley, former Saints player.
What team Eddie Howe plays is almost any one's guess but you would expect some of those needing some minutes under their belt would be used like, Ward, Fraser, MacDonald, Flahavan, Pitman, Rantie, Smith and Cargill, but perhaps one or two Development players will get a go too like Ben Whitfield and Sam Matthews. If you are heading off to St James Park, enjoy the game.
Kyle's Cups also has an extra article that profiles Exeter City's captain Scott Bennett.
Such problems make you think that Paul Tisdale is quite a special manager. This is reinforced when you see that he is the second longest serving football league manager. Only Arsen Wenger is above him in that respect and up until last year Tisdale probably had just as much silverware in the boardroom cabinet (Eddie Howe is already 27th by the way). But seriously, it takes a special kind of manager to deal with all the non-football matters of a club when you are in League Two and yet don't let anyone tell you that the fans don't see their football as a life or death matter. It matters to Exeter fans how they do against rivals Plymouth and even Torquay Utd in pre-season. The relegation of Torquay probably seemed good to the Exeter fans but in the long run they need their derby matches as something to look forward to I would have thought.
Exeter are showing that they are up for the fight this season and probably felt unlucky not to get all three points in their first league game against a strong Pompey side on Saturday. The side that Tisdale put out probably gives a pretty good idea of how the team will set up as they don't have a vast array of numbers. Tom Nichol's was on target then and the forward is only 20 and will surely improve under Tisdale's coaching, while he is on loan from Dorchester Town. Exeter's problems though are highlighted by the fact that they only had four shots at goal against Portsmouth all match, but at least they were all on target. The difficulties over the depth of the squad are shown in that fact that the team has first year professionals like Jason Pope and Connor-Riley Lowe, while Ollie Watkins was on the bench on Saturday and in July was said not yet to have make a first team debut. So it really is a bit of a Development squad at Exeter with some seasoned professionals like, Pat Baldwin who is on loan from Southend and Matt Oakley, former Saints player.
What team Eddie Howe plays is almost any one's guess but you would expect some of those needing some minutes under their belt would be used like, Ward, Fraser, MacDonald, Flahavan, Pitman, Rantie, Smith and Cargill, but perhaps one or two Development players will get a go too like Ben Whitfield and Sam Matthews. If you are heading off to St James Park, enjoy the game.
Kyle's Cups also has an extra article that profiles Exeter City's captain Scott Bennett.
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