Parkinson: That was our wake-up call

Phil Parkinson felt City were given a "wake-up call" by the 3-0 loss to Bury at Valley Parade this afternoon.

The Bantams had won all four previous friendlies but looked out of sorts against the League One visitors.

Parkinson said: “It’s a wake-up call for us. I felt we looked like a team that had done really well in pre-season and started believing it was too easy.

“We were second best in all departments and didn’t compete well enough all over the pitch.”

City were always struggling after Jon McLaughlin sliced Rory McArdle's backpass into his own net after just five minutes.

Parkinson added: "It doesn’t help when you concede a goal like that, which was disappointing. It was comical.

“But to be fair to Rory and Jon, they’ve played really well through pre-season and I thought Rory otherwise was fantastic.”

Comments(24)

doneBD4 says...
8:42pm Sat 4 Aug 12

Right, Who needs sacking this month!!
Not good enough!

I'll give you odds on PP being sacked inside 6 weeks, at 1/100

gary turner says...
10:43pm Sat 4 Aug 12

doneBD4 wrote:
Right, Who needs sacking this month!!
Not good enough!

I'll give you odds on PP being sacked inside 6 weeks, at 1/100
well you do for a start

Freddy says...
7:34am Sun 5 Aug 12

*
There is an irony associated with this 'Wake-Up Call' . Perhaps the pre-season build up was weak against weaker teams.
*
This irony, could prove useful to everyone concerned with Bradford City.
*
It is another long and arduous season that is about to begin. Perhaps the Players concerned,and the Management; Need to re-assess their approach, to everything that is NOW required.
*
There is time at the moment for ALL of the Bradford City Staff -TO GET IT RIGHT!!.
*

1 bingley bantam says...
9:32am Sun 5 Aug 12

Eeerrmm oh dear woulld love to know the line up but sounds pretty poor any one there please give us your thoughts.
Was it a bad day at the office or are we not as good as we were beginning to hope?

prince35 says...
9:54am Sun 5 Aug 12

One shot at goal all game is not acceptable when you have supporters paying £10 into vp.
Again I struggled to see an attacking threat from us all game and a style of play ? Yes we didnt have a strong side out ,well not as strong as against guiseley , why do we have full backs whacking the ball upto hanson at every opportunity ,our midfield got bullied there was to much to do for gary jones ,with meredith a passenger in his central midfield role.
Yes its only preseason and there were players out who im sure will be a better choice when the real stuff begins.
More crosses and shots at goal needed

Thee Voice of Reason says...
9:55am Sun 5 Aug 12

It was a two bob friendly, who cares.

lawsonio123 says...
10:22am Sun 5 Aug 12

Poor result but give Mr Parkinson a chance STOP moaning before the season starts. COME ON CITY SHOW THE THE FANS WHAT YOU ARE MADE OF. HAVE A GREAT SEASON

usher dave says...
10:32am Sun 5 Aug 12

Brighton beat Chelsea.are they in for a bad season!!!

Billyboyarnold says...
10:50am Sun 5 Aug 12

usher dave wrote:
Brighton beat Chelsea.are they in for a bad season!!!
At times we were on the rack but the players never gave up, the commitment was there and the goals followed, £30 to get in and a crowd of 17,200 Chelsea brought down 3,500 The gate was limited to 18,000 due to a new 2nd tier on the East Stand in progress and filling in the corners. The final capacity at the beginning of the season will be 30,200 Good Luck for the coming season from Brighton Bill in Bradford.

1 bingley bantam says...
10:54am Sun 5 Aug 12

prince35 wrote:
One shot at goal all game is not acceptable when you have supporters paying £10 into vp. Again I struggled to see an attacking threat from us all game and a style of play ? Yes we didnt have a strong side out ,well not as strong as against guiseley , why do we have full backs whacking the ball upto hanson at every opportunity ,our midfield got bullied there was to much to do for gary jones ,with meredith a passenger in his central midfield role. Yes its only preseason and there were players out who im sure will be a better choice when the real stuff begins. More crosses and shots at goal needed
I know its only pre season and we had what sounds like a weak team out,but the thing that concerns me from what you said mate is whacking the ball up to Hanson this is one thing i so want us to eradicate from our game it has driven me crackers for the last few years and is largely in effective.
Please please Parky tell me this is not our game plan again for this season its predictable and all the teams we play sussed it ages ago and just put 2/3 players around him at every opportunity.

LuvFootball says...
11:00am Sun 5 Aug 12

Jesus, it's a pre season, and one against a club in a higher division, does it really matter what the result was. We have lost 1 pre season game and does it matter who we play and the result. The whole purpose of pre season is testing new ideas, having a look at players, but more importantly, build up match fitness, and in some cases, generate some funds.

I would really like one person to illustrate the major significance of yesterday's score line for the coming season.

Please just 1 person.

Having read some comments on this site, there are loads of trolls and it is obvious not all are City supporters, or even fans. There is not 1 reason to be upset, negative or despondant about this coming season. THIS IS OUR SEASON.

cormon says...
11:48am Sun 5 Aug 12

It would seem that most posts on anything to do with the Bantams fall into two distinct groups - those who see the whole set up in totally negative terms and those who wear rose tinted glasses.
Certainly, the club are to be acknowledged for making an effort to make as many resources available for a restoration of the club's fortunes. There have been some additions to the squad that even the most pessimistic supporter must have been happy with. The acquisition of new blood has been largely positively received, but there are limits and the consistency of the quality remains an issue.
We all have favourite players and ones who don't suit our subjective judgements. There was one post after the Guiseley game when McCardle was praised and seen as a partner to Davis for the centre back pairing. Oliver was perhaps the most impressive player on the park that evening with the exception of Wells' opportunism and Jones senior's work rate.
So, there are lots of plus points, with a manager who does work hard and is honest in his attempts to drag us up by our bootstraps.
However, for 15 minutes before we scored at Guiseley, we did receive a lesson in possession football from the non-leaguers. Their pattern of play, with links between midfield and attack, was far more 'football minded' than ours. We still have a wooden table football look, with little mobility, little movement into space and little links from back to front. Fans are accurate in their assessment of the apparent lack of pattern in mid-field and up front. We look well drilled in defence, but naive in the extreme in the other departments.
So, it's not all gloom and doom, but attention to some of the finer points of midfield and attacking play is certainly necessary. We can't rely on one forward's heading capability, nor on one's pace and opportunism to carry us through a tough season.

Stafford Heginbantam says...
1:24pm Sun 5 Aug 12

cormon wrote:
It would seem that most posts on anything to do with the Bantams fall into two distinct groups - those who see the whole set up in totally negative terms and those who wear rose tinted glasses.
Certainly, the club are to be acknowledged for making an effort to make as many resources available for a restoration of the club's fortunes. There have been some additions to the squad that even the most pessimistic supporter must have been happy with. The acquisition of new blood has been largely positively received, but there are limits and the consistency of the quality remains an issue.
We all have favourite players and ones who don't suit our subjective judgements. There was one post after the Guiseley game when McCardle was praised and seen as a partner to Davis for the centre back pairing. Oliver was perhaps the most impressive player on the park that evening with the exception of Wells' opportunism and Jones senior's work rate.
So, there are lots of plus points, with a manager who does work hard and is honest in his attempts to drag us up by our bootstraps.
However, for 15 minutes before we scored at Guiseley, we did receive a lesson in possession football from the non-leaguers. Their pattern of play, with links between midfield and attack, was far more 'football minded' than ours. We still have a wooden table football look, with little mobility, little movement into space and little links from back to front. Fans are accurate in their assessment of the apparent lack of pattern in mid-field and up front. We look well drilled in defence, but naive in the extreme in the other departments.
So, it's not all gloom and doom, but attention to some of the finer points of midfield and attacking play is certainly necessary. We can't rely on one forward's heading capability, nor on one's pace and opportunism to carry us through a tough season.
Intelligent post.

LuvFootball says...
2:44pm Sun 5 Aug 12

Stafford Heginbantam wrote:
cormon wrote:
It would seem that most posts on anything to do with the Bantams fall into two distinct groups - those who see the whole set up in totally negative terms and those who wear rose tinted glasses.
Certainly, the club are to be acknowledged for making an effort to make as many resources available for a restoration of the club's fortunes. There have been some additions to the squad that even the most pessimistic supporter must have been happy with. The acquisition of new blood has been largely positively received, but there are limits and the consistency of the quality remains an issue.
We all have favourite players and ones who don't suit our subjective judgements. There was one post after the Guiseley game when McCardle was praised and seen as a partner to Davis for the centre back pairing. Oliver was perhaps the most impressive player on the park that evening with the exception of Wells' opportunism and Jones senior's work rate.
So, there are lots of plus points, with a manager who does work hard and is honest in his attempts to drag us up by our bootstraps.
However, for 15 minutes before we scored at Guiseley, we did receive a lesson in possession football from the non-leaguers. Their pattern of play, with links between midfield and attack, was far more 'football minded' than ours. We still have a wooden table football look, with little mobility, little movement into space and little links from back to front. Fans are accurate in their assessment of the apparent lack of pattern in mid-field and up front. We look well drilled in defence, but naive in the extreme in the other departments.
So, it's not all gloom and doom, but attention to some of the finer points of midfield and attacking play is certainly necessary. We can't rely on one forward's heading capability, nor on one's pace and opportunism to carry us through a tough season.
Intelligent post.
Agree. I don't agree with 2 types of posters though. Why can't someone be positive without being labelled "rose tinted"?

There is no reason to be negative, we are a 4th division club and it will be 4th division quality football that will get us promoted. I am not a fan of the long ball, but even top teams do resort to that at times, even international teams.

I do genuinely feel we have a chance, not felt like we have for a good few years. not once since we struggled when we got relegated into the 2nd division from the Premiership have I was disillusional thinking that we will get promoted.

Even reading neutral blogs on the net they are all asking the same question and in the same manner "Is this really the season for Bradford City?"

I do believe it is, we have a good manager and some very good players, but such is football, IF we don't, if we have another season of struggle which I genuinely doubt, it is not the end of the world.

I class myself as a positive supporter, the first time since before the Premiership days, but I would never class myself as a rose tinted poster. I am not happy with every signing Parkinson has done, but I am not doubting his ability on some of his decisions. Even the mighty Fergie has signed dogs of players and tried to mould them into something they are not, example Alan Smith for one, or paying way over the odds for unexceptional players.

Parkinson may get it wrong at times, but I am sure he will get it right more times than not.

theoutsider says...
3:06pm Sun 5 Aug 12

This was the first I have seen of City pre-season and was not impressed. Theres a league cup game v Notts C next week and after this gubbing by a muscle bound lower L1 outfit the team are nowhere near ready. A keeper is a must Jon Mc is not a No1. Jones was trying to plug the mid but hes past his best and we had more guile and energy when Scotty Brown and Hoolihan took over 2nd half . Brown has to play for me best midfldr in the club as Jacko said. Reads the game great mover and tackles. What the hell Mr P sees in Atkinson god knows? feebile effort on right the German Gallego is far better having Citys only shot on goal late on!. Wells + Connell have to be front two. Hanson is only good for lumping it to and seems unable to use his feet!? Someone tell him its not head tennis!. Reid? is Reid with his moon shots over the bar and frustrating wing play. Mr P has a devil of a task picking the threads out of this lot. Only Oliver Brown and Hoolihan came away with credit and we need 30pts from the first 15 games to on target for auto promo from npower garbage L1. I see a problem as things stand.

trueBradfordian says...
4:59pm Sun 5 Aug 12

The PSF's have taught is nothing so far. We have scored for fun against non-league/Irish teams and been soundly beaten by a higher league team.

With so many new players, it will take a few weeks for them to gel. Don't expect instant success ... we might have to get a few bad results out of our system before the teamreally clicks.

essess says...
10:44pm Sun 5 Aug 12

These games should be played behind closed doors I mean mr p was trying different combinations if supported don't understand or like it then they stay clear so called freindlys. The real city will start at notts county. City to go up this season Gary jones was awesome

eebygum says...
10:44pm Sun 5 Aug 12

Err hello it was a friendly, We are better getting it out of our system now than when the season starts.

Thee Voice of Reason says...
11:18am Mon 6 Aug 12

prince35 wrote:
One shot at goal all game is not acceptable when you have supporters paying £10 into vp. Again I struggled to see an attacking threat from us all game and a style of play ? Yes we didnt have a strong side out ,well not as strong as against guiseley , why do we have full backs whacking the ball upto hanson at every opportunity ,our midfield got bullied there was to much to do for gary jones ,with meredith a passenger in his central midfield role. Yes its only preseason and there were players out who im sure will be a better choice when the real stuff begins. More crosses and shots at goal needed
What were you expecting, an end to end game with teams playing in the style of Barcalona and Brazil?

Get real it meant nothing and is mearly an exercise to try out new things before for season starts.

We lost players to injury in the last game would you be happy for that to happen again aslong as we won a meaningless game?

Philip Ennis says...
12:45pm Mon 6 Aug 12

Tvor, negative thoughts on here. But with tiny inkling, of truth. Friendlys are not very good pointers towards the rest of the season. But, if you played sport, you will know that to go in half hearted can result in serious injuries. Like you say they are used to try out various new ideas, players etc. tvor you appear to have your head screwed onright when it comes to football. So, leave the rugby to those who know the game and stick to Wendy ball.

Philip Ennis says...
12:46pm Mon 6 Aug 12

Tvor, negative thoughts on here. But with tiny inkling, of truth. Friendlys are not very good pointers towards the rest of the season. But, if you played sport, you will know that to go in half hearted can result in serious injuries. Like you say they are used to try out various new ideas, players etc. tvor you appear to have your head screwed onright when it comes to football. So, leave the rugby to those who know the game and stick to Wendy ball.

prince35 says...
2:59pm Mon 6 Aug 12

Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
prince35 wrote:
One shot at goal all game is not acceptable when you have supporters paying £10 into vp. Again I struggled to see an attacking threat from us all game and a style of play ? Yes we didnt have a strong side out ,well not as strong as against guiseley , why do we have full backs whacking the ball upto hanson at every opportunity ,our midfield got bullied there was to much to do for gary jones ,with meredith a passenger in his central midfield role. Yes its only preseason and there were players out who im sure will be a better choice when the real stuff begins. More crosses and shots at goal needed
What were you expecting, an end to end game with teams playing in the style of Barcalona and Brazil?

Get real it meant nothing and is mearly an exercise to try out new things before for season starts.

We lost players to injury in the last game would you be happy for that to happen again aslong as we won a meaningless game?
Im pointing out that there was nothing that parky could have taken out of this game. There wasnt a system of play that ever threatened bury , the only player that did himself plenty of self esteem was young scott brown , got into tackles and was looking to keep possesion

Thee Voice of Reason says...
4:02pm Mon 6 Aug 12

prince35 wrote:
Thee Voice of Reason wrote:
prince35 wrote: One shot at goal all game is not acceptable when you have supporters paying £10 into vp. Again I struggled to see an attacking threat from us all game and a style of play ? Yes we didnt have a strong side out ,well not as strong as against guiseley , why do we have full backs whacking the ball upto hanson at every opportunity ,our midfield got bullied there was to much to do for gary jones ,with meredith a passenger in his central midfield role. Yes its only preseason and there were players out who im sure will be a better choice when the real stuff begins. More crosses and shots at goal needed
What were you expecting, an end to end game with teams playing in the style of Barcalona and Brazil? Get real it meant nothing and is mearly an exercise to try out new things before for season starts. We lost players to injury in the last game would you be happy for that to happen again aslong as we won a meaningless game?
Im pointing out that there was nothing that parky could have taken out of this game. There wasnt a system of play that ever threatened bury , the only player that did himself plenty of self esteem was young scott brown , got into tackles and was looking to keep possesion
So Parkinson can take something out of this game.

1 this formation and setup doesn't work so thankfully thats not a league game we tried it.

2 Scott Brown appears to be coming alone.

There you go, look for the sunshire behind the clouds and be thankfully this performance is out of the system.

Roll on Saturday to the proper stuff, but for me, I would treat Notts County as a warm up for the real competition, which starts a week later.

audal says...
5:03pm Mon 6 Aug 12

OH !! Was there a game then ? sorry but the olympics,cricket and rugby league(sorry t.v.o.r) just happen to occupy my sporting mind.

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