Pearce: Fans have a right to be angry

December 17, 2006

STUART Pearce insisted Manchester City supporters had every right to turn against his side during their dismal first-half performance in today's 2-1 home defeat to Tottenham.

One furious fan sought to scale the barrier behind the City dugout and confront Pearce after the visitors' second goal before he was led away down the touchline by police.

Calum Davenport and Tom Huddlestone swept the visitors into an early lead over abject City who restored some pride by mounting a second-half comeback through Joey Barton.

Pearce said: "People pay good money to come here and I was frustrated as well. If I was in his position I would have come down and vented my frustration at the manager.

"The performance of the team dictated people's reaction and rightly so today. The team were very very poor for 45 minutes, but for the next 45 minutes I didn't hear anyone venting their frustration."

Tottenham's first Barclays Premiership away win of the season also ended City's proud home unbeaten record at their City of Manchester Stadium.

And Pearce made no excuses for his side's poor start, admitting: "In general right over the pitch we afforded them far too much respect. At half-time I was pleased it was only 2-0 the way things were going.

"In the second half we rolled our sleeves up when maybe it would have been easier to go under. And at the end of 90 minutes maybe we deserved to get something out of it."

Pearce was further frustrated by referee Rob Styles' decision not to award City a penalty with five minutes remaining after Barton appeared to be brought down by Steed Malbranque in the box.

Pearce said: "He (Malbranque) has got none of the ball and trod on his foot. The referee said he thought it was a penalty but the linesman didn't flag so he didn't give it."

Are fans right to take out their anger on Pearce? Have your say.

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time to go, wardle & pearce (17/12/2006 at 19:04)

yet another game where we haven't shown up; yet another game where we've got Vassell out of position; yet another game where we have to suffer the striker who never scores running around like a headless chicken; yet another game where we could have had Vassell & Samaras up front, Miller on the left, Barton & Ireland in the middle - but yet another game where we didn't. Corradi to come back? - God help us. Take a look at the table you happy clappies and tell me wardle's chickens haven't come home to roost today. This club is sinking fast. Lost my patience with Pearce now and sad to say, our spineless chairman hasn't got the guts to bite the bullet, so we're left to sit and watch from the stands (or not) as we slide into the bottom three.

david, portsmouth (17/12/2006 at 19:05)

just go pearce now,i an sick of your piffle simply go go go

Keith, Altrincham (17/12/2006 at 19:13)

Absolute rubbish again, and all we get is Pearce saying so..if the team don't come out and play its down to him not preparing them properly ! Get him out NOW !!
There must be something wrong with his hearing as well as his ability as a Manager if he couldn't hear anyone complaining in the second half, my seats in the top of the CB stand and I could hear plenty.

Dave Evans, Zuerich,ch (17/12/2006 at 19:26)

To quote the immortal Michael Stipe "It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)"

Blue2th, Manchester (17/12/2006 at 19:36)

We really shouldn't have to. If he cannot see how dire City are right now then he should not even be at the 'football club'

To persist with Samaras is pure bloody mindedness (I signed him so he MUST be good enough!!) Dickov is not what we needed at the start of the season. And Corradis goal/red card ratio is a joke. Joey Barton has now scored more goals than the combined 'strike force' I'm a season ticket holder... GET ME OUT OF HERE.

expatmanc, swansea (17/12/2006 at 19:38)

Do the honourable thing and go, Pearce, its too much for you. Three points and unbeaten record gone to a team that hadn't won away from home. No-one has any faith in Pearce anymore (I never had) and we are in a relegation fight with zilch to spend in Jan.

Dougiefreshblue, Manc (17/12/2006 at 19:43)

Time to cash in youre chips SP , PARDEW ANYONE!!!.

rishton blue, nr blackburn (17/12/2006 at 19:46)

another poor display same as watford,newcastle,sheff u,only spurs are slighly better and took all 3 point we are getting dragged back in 3 points off bottom 3 now. pearce on borrowed time if we have any money to spend in jan can we trust sp to get it right/? bolton h sheff u and west ham away could be in bottom3 going into new year,merry xmas all

Bobby Black, Levenshulme (17/12/2006 at 20:06)

Pack your bags Pearce and take your cronies with you. True City fans have had enough of your inability to put out a decent side. Dunne and Distin are absolute dozy rubbish! City supporters clubs need to voice their disatisfaction also. The club is in turmoil!

Geoff, Middlewich (17/12/2006 at 20:18)

Your heart sinks when you get to the ground and see Reyna and Dickov in the starting line up. Sorry Stuart but you really are clueless if the think either of these are worth starting with. The intial change was forced on him by Richards being injured. We are three points clear of the drop zone and can anyone see us getting anything from Bolton or Sheffield with our ?forward line?

nick Lawless, Caterham,Surrey(Blackley boy in exile) (17/12/2006 at 20:30)

Can hardly find the the will power to write this but I have to say that this man Pearce is taking the P... out of all of us.If he thought anything of the club and its superb fans he would have the decency to walk away instead of continuing to make us the subject of laughter and ridicule. His record speaks for itself.

Blue Jean, Chorlton (17/12/2006 at 20:30)

I have never in over 40 years of watching city booed my club but I can understand the fans that do, City were terrible in the first half and only marginally better in the second, Samaras is hopeless, what a waste of 6m and Reyna is much too slow, we just do not have a decent striker in the side, why does Pearce not give Sturridge a chance I really do not know, please Stuart, give the youngsters a chance, they can't do any worse.

Mike Doyle is a TRUE blue, Mike Doyles House (17/12/2006 at 20:34)

Fact:

1) How many games has Stuart Pearce won since he took over

2) How many Premiership managers are still in a job with the same points ratio OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME?

3) How much has Pearce spent and has he spent it wisely? Samaras = Ashton, Corradi, Beasley, Dabo - wages?

4) We let Cole and Fowler go for what?

5) Steve Wigley - what has he ever achieved?

6) Looks like Curbs has had a good start - but hey who needs him when we have Pearce!

7) Let's all support Pearce and then have a change of mind when we are relegated. I saw all the happy clappies under Ball etc, then they decided to call for the managers head when it was too late!!

8) WAKE UP!! 3 POINTS FROM THE DROP ZONE, ATTENDANCES FALLING, SAME OLD EXCUSES AND SPIN FROM PEARCE - LET'S GET A NEW MANAGER NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!

blue moon, stockport (17/12/2006 at 20:57)

rubbish

JB, vic (17/12/2006 at 21:02)

WARDLE, if you cannot see what a tactical IDIOT PEARCE is then SELL the CLUB to another investor who HAS the BALLS to get rid of this MUPPET.

DJ (not Jamo), Chorlton (17/12/2006 at 21:17)

Pearce's comments about not hearing any booing inthe second half seems arrogant to me. Never mind boasting about silencing the fans in the second half. Check the score Stuart. We lost the game. In fact we lost it in the first half. If the players do not come out motivated and knowing what they have to do on the pitch that is your job. Could it be that the team isn't playing for you any more? Are you spending too much time polishing your diamond?

lee, here (17/12/2006 at 21:17)

All the backroom staff should go-too many of them have been linked with the lack of success at the club, clear them out and bring a new team in-though who, I dont know!

Chris Gee, Vancouver (17/12/2006 at 21:23)

Just got back from the match ??? just joking !

WE are in some, serious trouble. Apart from the obvious I can't understand why the hell SP stands for the whole 90 minutes...is he saying to HIS team "don't trust you lot to do the job by yourselves so I'm standing here to keep an eye on you ! "

How many other (successful) managers stand in the Tech area for the whole match ?

Where does Taggart, Jose, Arse & Rafa stay during the 90 minutes...how many times do they stand in the Tech area...answer...when need's be !
Who doesn't sit down through-out the match....Pearce, Warnock, Boothroyd, Dowie ? Does this tell us something. Is it that they are more nervous or is it that they really don't trust their players to carry out the instructions that they have been working on through-out the week?. In which case, why are they working with these players ? Time to move on methinks !

Edski Vega, Notts (17/12/2006 at 21:23)

I said this would happen!

Mike, Northstand (17/12/2006 at 21:28)

Poor display but fed up of the moaning fans. just look at the ones who made coments on here - local !!!! Why dont these fans realise Roman doesnt want to buy city - we have to do with what we've got.

steve fenton, bristol (17/12/2006 at 21:29)

We now have to look very hard at the table. Ok let's work it out. The bottom 2 watford and charlton are probably doomed. West Ham we can expect to finish mid table if not higher. Who is therefore going to make the 3rd drop spot? Obviouslky we could be it, since at almost half way point we are on 20 points which suggests about 40 points at the end. Dodgy. Who below or around us is worse? Boro - possibly. Sheffield - maybe. N'castle - probably not, they are moving up. Fulham? Anyone in the top half who could drop like a stone like we did last season? Villa, but they have a v good manager, Reading ditto. Definitely dodgy. Anyone else figure out who is going to get that third spot (if we are right assuming watford and charlton)
cheers
s

Stevo, Wimbledon (17/12/2006 at 21:30)

In order to stay up, we need to make four quality signings. left winger, midfield creator and a couple of strikers who, shock of shocks, can SCORE. I don't trust Psycho to spend a penny. Get someone in now who knows what he's doing, so he spend wisely in the transfer window.

Wilmslow Blue, Cheshire (17/12/2006 at 21:34)

Worst 1st half performance I've seen for a long time, although be fair to Spurs, they played smart and Huddlestone's goal was quality. On the down side, apart from Barton and Vassell, none of the City players turned up today.
Reyna and Samaras should be put in stocks in Levenshulme market for their performances and the rest weren't much better - even Dunny looked way out of sorts today. Time to bring a few more Academy lads through to the 1st team. Never mind, it's only Bolton next week :-(

Anne McDermott, Oldham (17/12/2006 at 21:40)

as from day one and I've made sure everyone knows I believed that pearce was never the right man for the job,unlike others I have not jumped on the bandwagon,we have no chance of moving up the table or winning any silverware while he's in charge,open your eyes Mr Wardle and do the right thing for city and the thousands of fans that follow city home and away(my family being some of them)say goodbye and thank you Mr Pearce.

Steve from Hyde, Tameside (17/12/2006 at 21:51)

I don't rate Pearce as a manager and never have. Said to my son before today's game that our "unbeaten at home" record is nothing more than a soap bubble waiting to burst. Well now it has and next week when Bolton visit does anyone believe it won't again? Holding on to something is a great incentive, ie firstly not conceding a goal at home, followed then by not losing at home. Well now that both these records have well and truly gone our players (with the ineffective Pearce at it's helm) will have the same insecurity and doubt that they are riddled with when playing away. Opposition teams, good, bad or indifferent will, in turn, def now view us as 3 points their for the taking, a sobering prospect! "City, Manchester City, a Premiership club run like Arkwrights shop".

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