Blarney

FA Trophy Fourth Round

Please Improve our Youth Facilities! So I went and had a chat with them. And they told me no. They told me we were doing great and they felt the youth facilities were fine. They're not. I told them they're not. I threatened them because I'm not going to back down. They told me to tender my resignation if I felt so strongly about it. **Honestly, I sat there for 15 minutes and thought about doing it, this is my biggest problem in the game is I can't separate at times what I would do in real life and what I have to do in the game to remain employed. Because in all honesty if I were in charge and if my ownership was so stupid as to suggest that we're fine, when we're not... I'd walk. Which I have before which is why I keep starting over... well that and being fired because I've argued with them. It's like a Notts save can't work unless you just capitulate to stupid ownership that doesn't give a damn about the club -- at least in the game. Oh, and our youth intake this season.... was horrible. But we're fine, right? I mean we have NO money. They refuse to increase our wage budget (I've asked) and they refuse to increase our transfer budget (I've asked) and our youth intake is terrible, but we're fine. Granted, we're destroying the league, I get that, but that's this league. If I can't make improvements to the club going forward then what am I doing.** I told them I didn't want to resign and went about my way.... fuming.

Match Twenty-Seven Magpie Weekly Boreham manager, Mark Sampson, had some rather unflattering things to say prior to the game about not only the club but about you personally. I think the words over-rated, over-hyped and not nearly as good as they think were brought up. Langstaff goes out and scores 4 and you put up a clean sheet against them. After the match he didn't back down and intimated that they were their own worst enemies. Do you have a reply? Eddie Sirrel He can look at the score and there's my reply.

Transfer News Cameron gone Nottingham Post If nothing else you're just not afraid to shake things up. You've let Rodrigues go earlier in the season when most would have said you needed him for the promotion push. And now you've let last season's team captain and one of your better defenders go here with a couple of months left in this season and Wrexham nipping at your heels for the league title? If this backfires you know the supporters are going to be calling for your head on a platter, but that doesn't seem to affect your mentality. Eddie Sirrel Well, it can't. I love the fans, truly I do. I am a fan. But I can't manage the club always worried about what a supporter is going to think. One thing I've learned is that you can sit in the stands and follow a club but you're never going to know what's really going on behind the scenes. I had as much if not more - honestly more - access to this club growing up than 99.9% of the fans out there and once I took this job and sat in this chair I learned quite quickly that I didn't know anything about the inner workings. Okay, maybe not nothing, but you know what I mean. I loved Ruben, great player, great influence, strong attacker in the middle... but we let him go and we're setting scoring records. Could it have gone a different way... of course. But we took that chance because I had faith in the rest of the boys here. When it comes to Cam, we've been in communication this season to talk about a new contract once his was up this year and we couldn't come to terms. He had told us early he was thinking about exploring options which every player has a right to do but as I said before that puts us in a situation where we have choices to make also. In this case we couldn't come to an agreement and we decided to take advantage of being able to sell him before we got nothing in return. Will he be missed... of course. Do I have faith others will step up... yes.

Match Twenty-Six Nottinghamshire Live That's back-to-back matches versus Oldham and back-to-back wins that puts a little distance between your 2 clubs. Do you like the 2 matches in a row versus the same opponent? Eddie Sirrel Yeah, it gives you a chance to just focus all your intention for a week or so on just one club. It also puts a little pressure on you if you win the first match you know that they're going to be coming even stronger for you in the 2nd but it's good, that's what you want. If you fancy yourself the best you need to bring it each and every match, otherwise why are you playing?

December in Review Schedule Little blip at the start of the month in our march to the finish line but we recovered and things are still looking good. Table 10 points clear with a game in hand as we're into the 2nd half of the season. National League Team Stats 82 goals scored on the season.... #2 has 55. Wow. It won't matter if we don't win though. National League Player Stats Barring some major (and inconvenient injury) Langstaff is absolutely going to destroy the single season record for goals scored. Dude is an absolute beast. Financials Please can we make some money.

Match Twenty-Five

FA Trophy Third Round Nottingham Post Sirrel took a chance by resting most of his first choice players but came away with the victory and Notts Co will be moving on.

Transfer News Jordan Davies signed Eddie Sirrel Sorry, Wrexham

Match Twenty-Four

Match Twenty-Three Magpie Weekly Here we go again. Mair goes down with injury last match, Brooks comes in and we give up 5 goals. We need another new keeper.

Match Twenty-Two

Interview with Sirrel Magpie Weekly Thanks again for your time, Eddie. Just a couple of questions if we can. You sit at the top of the table, rather comfortably at the moment we might say. We know you predicted that you were going to win the league this season but are you surprised at all by how well the club is performing at the moment? Eddie Sirrel I mean I predicted we were going to win because that's the goal. And honestly I fully thought we were good enough to take the league, with a couple of other clubs that I felt would be there with us, including Wrexham for one, Oldham for another. And both of those clubs are up there. As far as if I'm surprised... that we are ahead by as much as we are at the moment, yes. But that just turned in our favor in the last couple of months, for a bit it appeared as though Oldham wasn't going to lose a match and were toe-to-toe with us. Magpie Weekly You do know it's not supposed to be this easy? Eddie Sirrel *laughs* I'm not so sure it's been easy but the boys have been playing very well so it makes it look so I suppose. I may be young, but I'm not stupid and as you know I've been around the game. I'm going to take it while it's here, while we're playing this well but I'm not going to let a game or two that might go bad ruin everything. I might be upset if I see something I don't like but right now we're just playing very well. Magpie Weekly Trying to think of a question you haven't been asked before and this one popped up. We know you've been around the club. We know you're Nottingham born and raised. We know you want the best for the club. But if you had to break it down, what do you think your main job is or what do you want the most out of this? Eddie Sirrel Wow, there could be a lot of answers there depending on which part of this you're asking about. I know what the supporters want. I know what the board wants. I know in the end what I want. But if you're asking me to break it down to right now, when I took the job what my main priority was or what my main job is... that's a two-fold answer. My main job is relationships. You have 11 men on that pitch... and a number more than that just waiting their turn. They're not all the same. They come from different walks of life. Born in different town, countries... might speak different languages. My job is to bring them all together and not only make them the best they can be on the pitch but to make them better people if I can. My second answer is to grow the community. We are nothing without the supporters. I care deeply about Nottingham and if we're going to be a Nottingham club then we have to represent the community. I want the fans to be proud to be supporters. Magpie Weekly Any predictions on the remainder of the season? Eddie Sirrel Don't expect us to give up or let down. Magpie Weekly Thanks for your time again.

November in Review Schedule A very simple month of just 4 matches but we're back on the streak... and what a streak these 4 matches were. 17 goals scored against just 4 allowed. Table 13 points clear. I'm not going to say it, you can say it, I'm not going to say it. National League Team Stats I don't know, given enough games we could probably lap the 2nd best team in terms of goals scored. National League Player Stats Langstaff has already lapped the 2nd place guy in goals scored. What a ridiculous season he's having. Finances We're making a little bit of cash but no real progress in terms of where the board thinks we are in financial status.

Match Twenty-One

Match Twenty

Match Nineteen

Match Eighteen Nottinghamshire Live It's fair to say you gave Southend a right thrashing. Was there a bit of revenge in mind here for the FA Cup loss? Eddie Sirrel (with a smirk on his face) Did we lose to them in the FA Cup? Would I ever remind my boys about that and suggest we teach them who we are? Nottinghamshire Live Well whatever it was, it was certainly a special match for your side. Does this put to rest any of the noise about there being issues with any of the players? Eddie Sirrel It shows who we are when we play as one squad... and that's dangerous. That's what I want to see.

A conversation with Eddie Sirrel Magpie Weekly Thanks for sitting with us and answering a few questions, Eddie. Eddie Sirrel Not a problem. Magpie Weekly So we talked a little before and I know you're not going to give us much of an answer but you know the supporters want to know. There have been some rumors of discontent with some players following the FA Cup loss and maybe the way some took your comments after the match. Can you or will you comment on any of that? Eddie Sirrel No. Magpie Weekly Is there anything you can say about the situation at all? Eddie Sirrel (after a short pause) I'm never going to comment much on internet issues, whether real or imagined. Was I a bit tough after the FA Cup loss, yes. Absolutely. But if there was anybody in that changing room that didn't feel that way, wasn't upset or ashamed or that didn't know that that wasn't good enough.... there's the door. I don't want them on my club. The supporters don't want them on my club. Look... it's a game. It's a game. It isn't war. It isn't life or death. It's a game. But it's one that you're paid to perform in, whether it's National League or Premier League. If you're doing poorly on the pitch and then laughing about it after or acting like you don't care... you won't be on my club. Again, not life and death, I get it that people will react to things differently but I was embarassed after that match. Embarassed. Everybody in that changing room had better of been embarassed. Did I maybe rip into them a little bit, yeah probably, and we've had that conversation. I had expectations... expectations matched by the board and by supporters of at least giving it our all in the FA Cup and we didn't do that. So if I was upset, get used to it. Doesn't mean I don't love each and every guy in that changing room. Doesn't mean I'm not impressed by what we've done this season so far... and it's still early. It's much like if your kid disappoints you once, you don't stop loving them but you're not just going to forgive them either. Magpie Weekly Fair enough. Moving on. You've given up 15 goals in the last 4 matches... losing 1 and drawing in another. You're still scoring - 17 in those 4 matches - which was enough to salvage a couple of wins... but obviously something is wrong. You've lost Mair probably for 6-8 weeks with a broken hand which means he's going to possibly be out 2 or 3 more weeks. Slocombe and Brooks are just not doing it. Forgive the bluntness. Was this a concern or should it have been a concern before the season started that there doesn't appear to be an adequate backup keeper on the club? Eddie Sirrel We've not been happy with the results and our defense has been porous but that's about more than just 1 person. Brooks is young and he's going to make some mistakes. Slocombe has been around and he's had a bit of an up and down season but they both have my absolute confidence. There is no other option so they're going to have to figure it out. Magpie Weekly The good news is that Oldham finally slipped a little and you're on top of the table by yourselves now. Do you think you can stay and has the foundation been laid for you to win the league this year and finally earn an automatic promotion? Eddie Sirrel That has been the plan from day one. It continues to be the plan. I have complete faith in my boys and everybody at the club that we're all pushing for the same thing. Magpie Weekly Thanks for your time.

October in Review Schedule Three months into the season and we've "finally" faced a little adversity. It started with the heartbreaking loss to Wrexham... followed 2 matches later with a humiliating defeat in the FA Cup to a much worse team and then 2 match later we drew against the worst team in the National League. Still news really isn't all that bad as we look at the updated table. Table Which stil shows us in first place... alone now as Oldham has "faltered" a little in the past month as well. National League Team Stats We're still up in team rankings but not like we were at the start of the season. National League Player Stats I really don't know what we would do without Langstaff and Scott who hold the 1st and 2nd place in goals scored this season so far... and 1st and 3rd in average rating.

Match Seventeen

Magpie Weekly There have been some rumblings that after the disappointing FA Cup loss that some players on Notts County aren't overly happy with the response from manager, Eddie Sirrel. Nottinghamshire Live sat down with winger, Cedwyn Scott, who seemed to support the tongue lashing that was given after the game but we've heard that some others weren't so appreciative. We're not suggesting that there's a breakdown in the changing room, at least not yet. But the club has given up 11 goals in the last 3 matches, including their loss in the FA Cup and yesterdays draw against Wealdstone - a club sitting dead last on the table and one that by all rights has no right by drawing or winning against the club in first place. No disrespect intended toward Wealdstone... but come on. Some of that may lay at the feet of Mair going down but we think it's far deeper than that at the moment. Sirrel has bounced back and forth between 34-year old Slocombe and 20-year old Brooks as keeper but obviously neither is doing the job. Perhaps more attention should have been paid to having a suitable backup on the club? But all the blame can't be placed on not having your starting keeper. The overall defense all year long has been good until now. If you watch the matches the guys on the back are being routinely beaten now. They're reacting slower, they're not marking the same they were in previous matches. They just look slower. Granted we say all this - and it sounds doom and gloom - but Notts is still in first place on the table. First place for now... but not playing like they want to stay there.

Match Sixteen

Match Fifteen

Fallout from the FA Cup Nottinghamshire Live We had a chance to catch up with Notts County winger, Cedwyn Scott, following the disappointing result against Southend. Thanks for taking a few minutes with us, Cedwyn. Can you talk about the match? Cedwyn Scott Heartbreaker. Not what any of us expected but maybe we learned not to look past anyone. I'm not saying we did that but what you saw on the pitch wasn't what we should be doing. Nottinghamshire Live Needless to say Eddie Sirrel didn't have much to say after the match but sort of said the same that that wasn't the expectation. How was the talk after the loss? Cedwyn Scott Gaffer wasn't happy and nobody can blame him. If anybody in that room was happy then they don't need to be in the room. But we can't look at one match and assume that's who we are. We won 12 matches in a row in the league before losing to Wrexham and then we won another after that... so we're 13-1 in the league. That doesn't excuse the lack of effort against Southend but we know who we are and we will definitely take that loss and get better.