Zion released

[Milkman™]

Heres me been brainwashed that our season was all Davey Grahams fault and now they say its Zion's.

I dont know what to believe any more.

Cancel that, Corey out, and use the same tag line....

Team results and performances haven’t gone as everyone would have liked this year and it was felt a shake-up was needed

[supermattytrickett]

Jan 28, 2011 13:29:39 GMT KimThePanther said:

Coach Corey Neilson is searching for a replacement as the signing deadline looms but we are confident that there is enough talent on the roster to do well and with the right attitude the players can bring the pride and passion that is shared behind the scenes by the management and by the magnificent fans in the stands on to the ice.

Too right Kim. I'm all for the fans getting the recognition they deserve, but we know that the management of this club treat the paying customer with utter disdain and contempt so these words are about as hollow as they come.

[Yotes]

Jan 28, 2011 16:30:07 GMT ted logan said:

Jan 28, 2011 16:03:44 GMT tecpuldis said:

It's sad really. Goes from being the best player in a Panthers shirt, looking like he could win every game by himself to being the worst player in a panthers shirt who can't even stand up.

Agreed - never seen such a rapid decline in one player in the same season. As I posted before it's sad in a way as i see this as losing the player that started the season and not the one that struggled (for whatever reason) after the injury.

The word 'scapegoat' could be used as there are plenty of other candidates for the chop based on the past 2 months performances.

Jonathan Zion is not the reason that this team/club is in a mess right now. He's contributed to it and to his own downfall but I honestly believe a major review of how the entire orgainisation is run is a must but I won't hold my breath. Even if this did happen then it would be done by self-serving individuals on the inside whose self-preservation would be their No.1 priority and that attitude is sucking the life out of the club.

I hope that turning up for match nights doesn't become a chore; I went through a phase like that watching Forest years ago and never got that 'buzz' back. Staying away right now isn't an option for me but as this season lurches from one disaster to another I find my feet getting heavier as I walk to the NIC.

Sort this mess out Panthers and quickly.

Totally agree, great post Ted, sums up how I feel perfectly.

('Cept for the Forest bit, I'm not that foolish , come on you Spurs).

[pantherinmanc]

Jan 28, 2011 16:35:42 GMT Yotes said:

come on you Spurs

Maybe you are the man to take the fan's concerns to NB, you can use this as common ground and a way in.

[Olaw d'Elpus]

Quote:

"If they didn’t know already, the players have been told how deep the hurt is for fans and management after the latest league defeat in Braehead and a cup defeat against lowly Newcastle in the cup."


twenty games ago, we beat Capitals 7-1. since then, we've had 2 CC draws, 8 losses in regulation time, 3 penalty shoot-out losses, 2 penalty shoot-out wins and just 4 regulation-time wins. And the management think we're disappointed with the last two results?

Deep hurt? It's subterrannean!!!!

[supermattytrickett]

Jan 28, 2011 16:35:42 GMT Yotes said:

Jan 28, 2011 16:30:07 GMT ted logan said:

Agreed - never seen such a rapid decline in one player in the same season. As I posted before it's sad in a way as i see this as losing the player that started the season and not the one that struggled (for whatever reason) after the injury.

The word 'scapegoat' could be used as there are plenty of other candidates for the chop based on the past 2 months performances.

Jonathan Zion is not the reason that this team/club is in a mess right now. He's contributed to it and to his own downfall but I honestly believe a major review of how the entire orgainisation is run is a must but I won't hold my breath. Even if this did happen then it would be done by self-serving individuals on the inside whose self-preservation would be their No.1 priority and that attitude is sucking the life out of the club.

I hope that turning up for match nights doesn't become a chore; I went through a phase like that watching Forest years ago and never got that 'buzz' back. Staying away right now isn't an option for me but as this season lurches from one disaster to another I find my feet getting heavier as I walk to the NIC.

Sort this mess out Panthers and quickly.

Totally agree, great post Ted, sums up how I feel perfectly.

('Cept for the Forest bit, I'm not that foolish , come on you Spurs).

+1

Nothing will change whilst the current management set-up play gesture PR with us.

If Moran loved the club as much as he lets on, he'd do the honorable thing and walk away to be replaced by someone who actually commands a modicum of respect within the wider hockey fraternity. Then, and only then would we start to see the Nottingham Panthers move in the right direction and remove the laughing stock tag that we've rightfully earned.

Whilst Zion has been garbage over the last three months, he's certainly not been alone on that front. In fact, there's a compelling case to be made saying that Neilson has been equally as poor, but then with that king-sized ego, he was never going to cut himself was he?

[moosehead]

I'm in agreement with the general gist of the comments on here. It's the timing of the decision that stands out.

Zion has never been the same since his injury, and we all could point to games where he not only seemed sub-par, but not really bothered about doing much of anything on the ice... and this has been going on for how many months?

I suspect the management is thinking, "Throw a couple of underperformers to the lions, and thrash Newcastle on Sunday-- and all is well!"

And as for new players, I suspect that for most on here, Heerema and Tzch... Tzpk... er,the other new guy are hardly setting the world on fire. A mojor overhaul of team culture--and a coach-- is in order. Sorry, Corey-- time to move on.

[Rich]

Jan 28, 2011 16:17:53 GMT Dan said:

What a bloody disappointment he was. Looked a world-beater for three weeks and couldn't be bothered afterwards. He's the personification of every single Panthers season.

Exactly. See D'amour last season also. Its not just that the coach tries to force players to play a different way to what they can do, players every single season fizzle out when their true colours shine through and the games come thick and fast, and I can only think its pressure and a lack of hunger and enjoyment.

16 years its been for me now, going into 17, and ever since the new arena its been like it for some reason. When you play Sat-sun-weds-sat-sun against some of the teams in the EIHL in some of the ropey rinks you have to really "want it" every night....we never do. The curse of the "theyve got it too good" me thinks.

Sure, Zion was good early season, but the above fits him perfectly. People are talking like he got an injury recently... it was a long time ago and hes over it, he was good for a few weeks until something clicked that made him lose his hunger.

I must say though Im surprised, with the announcement, the timing and the reaction. I thought most fans liked him and we wouldnt take this risk so close to deadline day.
Very intresting point from Shaggy, but I dont see it being that tbh, you wouldnt put "backs to the walls" without needing to, and as Heja says Galbraith with his antics would be the one to gass if that was the case. It leaves us very 1 dimensional on D

[andyd]

Jan 28, 2011 13:58:02 GMT Paul said:

The whole thing smacks of a facing saving attempt to me. The management looked who was getting the most abuse for playing badly and they're the ones to go because it was the easiest and quickest way to appease the fans.

All they've done since we lost in Newcastle is attempt to get themselves out of the mire. Was the fact that it was Galbraith that gave the "interview" a happy coincidence? Maybe it was but it reeks of Panthers media micro management.

+1 Save me a seat on the cynics bus.

Shame about Zion but I guess he goes on the Scott Allison pile of signings. Can we stop signing undercover family members please?

[smart6]

Expect we'll see a new player on the ice on Sunday to paper over a crevass

[Lord of the Rinks]

Jan 28, 2011 13:53:38 GMT Shaggy said:

Here's a thought... could it be that we might be better off without a replacement for Zion?

This team has got numbers (how many games have we had a shorter bench than the opposition?) and it has the talent. What it appears to be lacking - amongst other things, granted - is the motivation.

So... how about a bit of the old 'backs to the wall' motivation? How many times have we seen teams line up against us with 3, 4, 5 or even more outskaters fewer in their line-up... and give us a good hard game, even taking both points of us?

If players not working hard enough is part of the problem, maybe they should be made to work harder... by having to play more.

Just a thought...

It doesn't do other teams that play short benched against us any harm, it might spur the guys on a little. Time will tell, but we don't have much of that left.

[Mark]

Mere window dressing. All the real problems still afflict the club and it looks to me as if the management are starting to panic.

[lee]

about time, i said from the day we signed him he is an awful D man, skilled going forward.

i'm glad to see this! i don't believe we haven't got a replacement lined up

[iginla]

Zion deserved to get gassed,so much ice time yet got worse and worse and dragged the whole team with him.

Simmsy was spot on with his comment when we signed him,although at the time i thought it was sour grapes.

He said "Zions a great player,IF you can get him to play every night".

Unfortunately Simmsy was correct.

[GuinnessMan]

He started with a bang and i was mightely impressed.
Unfortunately of late i think Jonathon Zion had become a bit of a liability in last few weeks in so many ways, and we would be be better with no replacement rather than carrying on.
Never thought i would be saying that last September

[pantherdman]

Should have no problem bringing in at least 2 new faces before the deadline.

[howeaboutthat]

Jan 28, 2011 19:20:54 GMT Mark said:

.............it looks to me as if the management are starting to panic.

Why would they panic?

Although The Cage is awash with criticism of the Panthers management we on here are hardly indicative of the greater Panthers fanbase. We are but a few voices in the crowd.

NPSC, as always, are particularly quiet but then it seems they have never 'rocked the boat'. As an organisation they could be quite a powerful tool for the fanbase but that would mean root and branch changes of 'personalities' who treat it as a means to get access to the team, using the veil of 'officialness' to avoid being considered a puck bunny/buck.

Nope, as long as thousands still turn up every match night GM and his gang have nothing to worry about and I doubt thousands of people feel as strongly as some on The Cage do. In fact I'd doubt many of the thousands who turn up on a match night are at all bothered about the current situation after all, "there is always next season".

[Shorty]

Jan 28, 2011 20:36:46 GMT @howeaboutthat said:

Although The Cage is awash with criticism of the Panthers management we on here are hardly indicative of the greater Panthers fanbase. We are but a few voices in the crowd.

But we are representative of the fanbase.

There is a difference between a fanbase and a crowd. Plenty who turn up will not perceive themselves as fans as such. But within that crowd lies the fanbase.

The people who post on here are the hardcore element of the fans. People who have been going for years and years.

I doubt there are many casual fans that post on here, who go to a game once or twice a season as part of a club night out, or something different to do.

Its generally the fanbase that makes the crowd. Plenty on here have introduced people to the Panthers. If that were to stop, then attendances would fall. Not just by the fans who have had enough, but the potential fans they would encourage to come.

[martin]

Consistently terrible since November. Good riddance.

[ggggranville]

As I understood Zion's initial injury was sustained prior to him signing for the steelers last year - Sweden/Denmark?. He seems to manage it with rest. Probably why he played around 15 games with the steelers and why with rest he played well at the start of this season. Probably been suffering from it all season.

[supermattytrickett]

Jan 28, 2011 20:36:46 GMT @howeaboutthat said:

Jan 28, 2011 19:20:54 GMT Mark said:

.............it looks to me as if the management are starting to panic.

NPSC, as always, are particularly quiet but then it seems they have never 'rocked the boat'. As an organisation they could be quite a powerful tool for the fanbase but that would mean root and branch changes of 'personalities' who treat it as a means to get access to the team, using the veil of 'officialness' to avoid being considered a puck bunny/buck.

Yep, you've hit the nail on the head there Kronwalled. The management have NPSC right where they want them. A self-sustaining band of fans who never ask questions and never actually challenge the club's top brass. Real 'roll over and tickle the belly' stuff.

From the outside looking in, it would appear that they are far more concerned about the next 'meet the players' night than seeing their demi-gods bust a gut and produce some sweat for the cause.

You're right, NPSC could actually collectively grow a pair and start justifiably giving the club a hard time and call people to account (like fans of teams in other sports do), but we all know that's the last thing on their list of priorities. I'm sure the all important planning of a raffle on the next away trip is a whole lot more crucial right now than giving Moran and Co some tricky questions to mull over.

[pantherdman]

Jan 28, 2011 21:09:36 GMT ggggranville said:

As I understood Zion's initial injury was sustained prior to him signing for the steelers last year - Sweden/Denmark?. He seems to manage it with rest. Probably why he played around 15 games with the steelers and why with rest he played well at the start of this season. Probably been suffering from it all season.

But we've ran with a spare import half the season, we could have rested him.
End of the day he wasn't performing, well done Corey.
Anyone else not bringing 100% gas them too, deadline or no deadline!

[pantherdman]

NPSC - I don't really see them as a force for change, mainly just some friendly faces who help the fans out and organise events and away trips.
Can't fault any of them when I've been dealing with them.
I guess if your a member you could go to the desk and ask them to try and arrange something??
They do have that AGM at the start of the season, get a membership and go along.

I think pointing the finger at the NPSC is a little wayward

[pantherman66]

So the club do exactly what the 'fans' have been wanting for a while now, and lo and behold this is being seen as just appeasing the fans. It seems to me untill Moran, Corey et al are ousted you might as well shut down this forum, because every thread seems to end up slagging them off, very boring.

[texpef]

not much in the way of constructive argument in favour of the current management there though PM66?...