I really like Vladimir. I hope he gets what he needs to do justice to his abilities as a coach, motivator and tactician. However I fear the worst. The finest soldiers of Rome came from this area of Pannonia and Illyricum from the time of Vespasian even to the time of the gifted but unlucky Majorian.
Walk back to where ? The Israeli league ? Or Serbia ? This is his chance at making the big time, I don’t think he ll be throwing that chance away 2 months after being appointed .
I think he might walk if Gino reneges on whatever he was promised. Furthermore even though he has only had a short time in the relative limelight I don't think he would be short of potential suitors for his services.
' ...is the guy' is Vlad's equivalent of 'in this moment'. Every time he's asked a question about a player he responds by saying something like 'Player X is the guy who works with us two weeks... ' or 'Player Y is the guy who is injured'. I like it sounds like he's explaining who people are each time.
Why would Gino do that? However many times we change manager, I do think Gino actually wants us to succeed you know.
I am beginning to wonder if it is Vlad who is choosing not to play all our uninjured missing stars such as Suarez & Sarr. As I think it might possibly be a power struggle between Vlad and the players that want away? Vlad probably wants to show who's boss, which is a good thing in one way, therefore he is possibly choosing to do so by refusing to play anyone who is less than 100% committed to the WFC cause. On the other hand if he is choosing to do this is he cutting off his nose to spite his face, when he could be utilising these players whilst we still have them? So far Vlad has got reasonable results despite playing a threadbare team, but if he is deliberately leaving out players that would probably improve the team, is that a good idea? Of course this is just a theory and maybe he is not being allowed to use the want away players, and if that is the case he is doing a brilliant job so far. However, if this is the case we need to be careful that Vlad does not add himself to the alleged list of those who want away from the club. Furthermore, and as I have said in an earlier post, Vlad may of course be deliberately keeping our want away stars out of the limelight by not enabling them to showcase themselves to potential suitors, which would possibly mean those players don't get the moves they want and they would then be forced to switch their 100% commitment back to WFC, until January at the very least. It is very difficult to know what exactly is going on at the moment, but whatever it is I'm backing Vlad because under difficult circumstances he has not done too bad so far. Having said that, next week end against the scum we really do need to have our best possible team out, REAL INJURIES permitting, otherwise should the worst happen and we lose, a lot of us will probably lose our patience with the current situation and really fallout with the club we all love.
It's possible. Anything that breaks up the cliques and gets rid of the ridiculous player power can only be good in the long run. I was pleased to see that he said the first half was a waste of time for us. Think he might have delivered a rocket at half time.
I think he'd want to play Sarr and Suarez if fit but maybe is told not to? Some of the others he would have not worked with so rather leave them out and concentrate on who will stay.
I found great sympathy with Pyotr Bezukhov. His rich dad is son of a Vladimir. Kirill Vladimirovich Bezukhov. Floppo would be Ippolit Kuragin. The recent BBC adaptation was terrible. Whitewashed many of Tolstoy's ideas on human nature and will. Bondarchuk's Russian television adaptation is unsurpassed. And now remastered on the Criterion label. What a beauty Ludmila Saveleva is as Nastasha Rostova.
Very true, Aurelian surely tops them all? Can’t help but having a soft spot for Julian the Apostate though, but don’t think he was from that area. If Vlad is half the man of Aurelian we’re onto a good’un.
The purpose of a BBC adaptation is possibly quite different from a literary masterpiece. It needs to strike a chord with a mainstream 21st century tv audience. Their Les Mis was the same. Dumbed down but still good fun.
The great Danubian soldier-emperors. Aurelianus, Claudius Gothicus (from Sirmium) before him and after him Valentinian. Shame he had a high blood pressure (no airs or graces, reformed taxation, built facilities for the poor and was a fierce warrior) and dear Julian. Surviving his family being killed. A learned man too and pagan adherent. A great organizer while managing splits in his command, reviving morale in Gaul and defeating Chnodomar. Shame about the expedition in Persia.Should have consolidated the borders.
If you can watch the Russian adaptation. True to the novel albeit an extremely long offering but extremely worthwhile. The BBC version was a glorified soap. Unfortunately a lot of Eastern European literary material is hard to exactly get across its meanings and subtleties in western translations. Also tended to be and still is looked down upon ie painted art, films, sculpture.
Listening to Vlad, I feel like we've got ourselves a really decent young prospect as a head coach. Wins at home and draws away are key to the Championship just to keep points ticking over, and even with such a turbulent squad at present there are some promising signs already. I want to make it clear - some of the football on display so far has been turgid (I.e. yesterday's first half) - but the second half was much better, and I think given more time and a more settled squad we will get consistent performances that will shine through at this level. The club really need to back him up rather than undermining the guy, and those players who are making themselves unavailable on the off chance need to get a grip. There's potential for a very good season here. I for one hope we won't be losing him after yet another short stint, as he will be a success over here if given the time.
The Last Pagan is a book worth reading! If only Julian had put on his breast plate before charging off to help his men! Can’t say I shed many tears reading about his brother being done away with. Julian by Gore Vidal is also a good yarn but not entirely accurate.
It most certainly is. Aurelian & Probus: The Soldier Emperors is worth reading which gives more credit to the actions of Gallienus and The Fate of Rome focuses on recent scientific research on diseases, climate change and failing crops which undermined the Empire. That plague during the reign of Justinian coupled with a volcanic explosion in El Salvador Ilopango ruined the chances to make good the holds of the work of Narses and Belisarius. A common story to all empires from those in Mesoamerica, the Anazi Indians, Harappa, Egypt and the Khmer. Hurry up if you want to get The Fate of Rome in hardback. The price is increasing rapidly. Ridiculous prices on hardbacks that are out of print. Up to a thousand pounds in some cases.
Interesting answer from Vlad today when Levanthal asked him about new signings before the weekend. He said that it's important to have new players 'not tomorrow... yesterday' - could be his English or first time that's he's expressed some irritation with what's going on...
His interview was great and you’re right, he seemed pretty ticked off that we don’t have certain positions filled. One definitely being the LB/LWB position, he made that clear. He stated 2 positions. I’m guessing the other is a left footed CB. Maybe a CDM, but I’m thinking he’s waiting on seeing what happens with Capoue first.
He’s probably more irritated the frequency of games means he has to answer the same questions from the same second rate journalists every 3 days.
I’ll look into that book ASAP then. Just finishing a book on the 7 sackings of Rome first. For what it’s worth I think the campaigns of Narses and Belisarus did more harm (especially to Rome itself) than good. The Ostrogothic Kingdom was underrated.
Sounded like, he will only take notice and include those players that leave the “ other group “ when it is clear that they are staying or back from their injuries! Seemed quite philosophical that he has certain players (tools) to work with and he is just getting on with it until others become available, Although as stated above he would like them back yesterday,
