Devils Vs Stars - League - 12th Dec 21

[CaldicotDevil]

Reality wise has anyone gone away recently pumped up, full of passion and had a great time? Its all becoming passionless. The bar prices are now top end (£3 a pint not very long ago is now £5!). The cost of everything is now just high, yet i watch a team that appears to be of far less quality and of interest. I dont think anyone wants to watch euro hockey. People just want a good night out. Its simply not currently. Lots of people around me in block 4 consistently complain about how crap it is. How they miss the bbt, the banging and excitement. I do.

Agreed, Unless something changes there’s going to be a huge drop off in ST renewal’s.

The thought of committing next year to; 15+ Saturday nights, spending a few hundred £££, just to watch this style of hockey is brutal. I speak to other ST holders. Some say they’re on the fence and others says they’re just going to cherry pick 7/8 games next year instead.

 

[James]

Can we please refrain from calling out other users based on their user status or I'll just have to remove the status, which is work and will make me grumpy. We already removed post count for that reason. We do monitor new users for alternate accounts and sock puppets so lets welcome new input rather than jumping on them (the amount of sock puppet accounts dropped sharply when the new owners took over, make of that what you will)

 

[jenks33]

I agree with pretty much all of your bullet points there, but is it surprising that a new coach to the league made those 'mistakes'? To me its it's not, in fact it was expected that there would be teething problems in the first year, and probably second year, and our current league position is on the higher end of my expectations. There was no way we were going to be close to previous years teams with the loss of pretty much every player and the best coach we have ever had.

Paul Thompson recruited the worst Steelers team I've ever seen in his final year with them. And if someone who has coached and won in this league for 25 years can do that, it's inevitable a completely new coach to the league, country and players will do so too.

I don’t think it’s helped how poor we’ve been to watch at home. If we were entertaining at home but struggling on the road I think the inferno would be a much calmer place. I was fully prepared to be very patient this season but our home form has surprised me. We’ve scored one goal or fewer in far too many games. Even the Sheffield game last week, ok we scored 3 eventually but it took us 54 minutes to get one.

 

[mjh]

Well, having read lots of the posts over the past couple of weeks, I wanted to add my take. I've only been following the devils for a few years and I'm no hockey expert however, during lockdown I missed the buzz of being at the games massively. I haven't been to a game for some weeks as I've been unable to attend for one reason or another. The last game I was due to attend, I had to cancel as we had covid in the house. Since then I've been left with the following thoughts.

Results have been pretty poor and this isn't the best Devils team I've had the pleasure of watching. Do I think we'll win silverware? Nope. Do I think this is the most entertaining hockey I've seen? Nope. However, I'm just grateful for being able to have hockey back.

I'm treating this season as a bonus, win or lose. Just happy to have the opportunity to see hockey in Cardiff. Perhaps we'll complete the season, perhaps not. Either way, just happy to have been at the rink.

I have no doubt that this blip won't last too long. We have an excellent organisation and owners who care about this club. Maybe not this season but I am sure we'll be back on top before too long

Happy Christmas to all.

 

[Rempel16]

Maybe in a couple of months it will fade, but after 18 months without Hockey, I still leave any game full of passion for the team. I get so frustrated when we lose of course, any fan would be, but I try to put things into perspective. I really don’t think we will be in this slump for too long, but that’s just my opinion. Maybe I’m just a glass half full kind of guy

Out of interest, what do you think is going to change to take us out of this slump?
Is the style of play going to alter? Is the physicality going to increase?

Genuinely interested in hearing how we are going to start converting those 30+ shots taken from the outside into quality A grade chances.

 

[jenks33]

I agree with pretty much all of your bullet points there, but is it surprising that a new coach to the league made those 'mistakes'? To me its it's not, in fact it was expected that there would be teething problems in the first year, and probably second year, and our current league position is on the higher end of my expectations. There was no way we were going to be close to previous years teams with the loss of pretty much every player and the best coach we have ever had.

Paul Thompson recruited the worst Steelers team I've ever seen in his final year with them. And if someone who has coached and won in this league for 25 years can do that, it's inevitable a completely new coach to the league, country and players will do so too.

And yes it’s never easy for a new coach to a new league. My expectations weren’t particularly high but to be fair Skalde did have 12 months to prepare meticulously for this role. Of course it’s not the same as actually being in Wales coaching the players but he should have been the best prepared coach this league has ever seen. Maybe that’s unfair but I think it’s natural to expect more from a new coach that’s had 12 months to prepare compared to a new coach that was employed 2 months before the start of the season. I also think it’s easier for fans to sympathise with a new coach if the team are entertaining and scoring goals but are inconsistent at the back end. I have slightly more sympathy with Skalde regarding recruitment as Haddad and Martin were due to re-sign, I’ve got less sympathy with Skalde when it comes to tactics/style of play though.

And yes you’re spot on about Thompson. The Sheffield team he recruited during his last season was awful but he did lose his job on the back of that terrible recruitment.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

I have a feeling that if we lose on Wednesday (or fall short of challenge cup qualification) then we may see our first. Not sure If I want to be right or wrong on this either

We lose on Wednesday and exiting the challenge cup means a significant financial hit to the club. Gassing a player might be needed to save cash.

 

[Earnie]

Pardon my ignorance but what on earth is ‘sock puppet account’?

 

[tim78]

We're beating the big teams (Shef and Belfast) and we're not losing games by massive loses, these are close scores to which we (in my eyes) we're performing better than the other team.

We normally see the Devils hit a higher gear to wins games in the dieing minutes in the past AND yes we have seen poorer performance and teams in the past. Personally we were better tonight, I see effort there from the guys it's just not clicking fully.

This thread just seems to have a lot of Fan Frustration Syndrome FFS.

 

[Hedd Wyn John]

Pardon my ignorance but what on earth is ‘sock puppet account’?

It's when someone on social media creates a fake account under a different name (like putting your hand in a sock and making a puppet) and getting that account to talk to your account. The sock puppet will usually praise or back up what the main account says, usually to add kudos or credibility to what's being said.

 

[Mazzoak]

It’s not a place for personal abuse of other posters though - I found it quite surprising that such an abusive post would receive so many “likes”, even if it contained some points that people agreed with.

This isn’t directed at you August04 2.0.

Many posters are writing this, yet felt free to abuse me, overtime have contributed giving the Inferno it’s less than friendly reputation.
As for sticks guy, he reminds me of taking a pit bull to a primary school

 

[Henley14]

We lose on Wednesday and exiting the challenge cup means a significant financial hit to the club. Gassing a player might be needed to save cash.

It's going to be a big game - hopefully the team recognise this and we get a full 60 minutes from them (of actual effort) I think TK will make this pretty clear to them, if he hasn't done so already.

 

[Mazzoak]

Its my belief that all businesses, to be successful need to listen to the thoughts and needs of its customer base and adapt and embrace change. After all without customers you don’t have a business.
Yes, ultimately a business is there to deliver a profit and dividend for its owners and shareholders etc but there are many examples of very successful businesses that lost touch with their customers needs and ultimately and inevitably failed.
Kodak, Blockbuster and Woolworths to name just three.
On the flip side there are examples of already successful businesses that listened to what their customers demanded and became even more successful.
15 years ago Amazon only sold books and Next was a small player in high street fashion but they listened to what the needs and wants of not only their customers but of the wider needs of the buying public.
In a dynamic world you change or you die!

There is a difference between listening to customers who make suggestions and those who demand change. It’s the demanding part I’m referring to, if you want any business person, or for that matter any person to act on your opinion you need to communicate reasonably with intelligent solutions.
Todd isn’t going to make any changes to the team based on a few people threatening to stop getting their season tickets. Now if next year season ticket sales are 60% down, then you’ll get some attention, you won’t see Todd kissing peoples butts, he‘ll market alternative fan sources..............

 

[Angusdevil7]

Reality wise has anyone gone away recently pumped up, full of passion and had a great time? Its all becoming passionless. The bar prices are now top end (£3 a pint not very long ago is now £5!). The cost of everything is now just high, yet i watch a team that appears to be of far less quality and of interest. I dont think anyone wants to watch euro hockey. People just want a good night out. Its simply not currently. Lots of people around me in block 4 consistently complain about how crap it is. How they miss the bbt, the banging and excitement. I do.

I agree with this, I think the whole match night needs a desperate overhaul, bar and food prices are what they are, we just eat before hand usually, the match night is really bothering me though, the warmup songs used to really used to get me ready for the game, now I dont even notice whats playing, I've heard that its the players that pick those songs, well if it is I can understand why they're playing like they are.

I was stood there last night during the first period listening to Adele warble her way through one of her mournful songs and then Wham last christmas after (I realise its december) and I just thought what is going on, this really isnt getting me in the mood for more hockey, I understand that music is completely personal to the person but I feel that at events like this the music should be upbeat and drive the event along

oh and just to finish if anyone from the Devils is reading the forum for god sake get those lights out from above the changing room doors that are currently hanging there motionless and put them above the ice to be part of the match night, its driving me insane.

 

[Wannabe2]

Just a few facts, not wanting to be negative as it’s ripping me apart , but true.
If the teams below us win their games in hand then we are 5th in the league, Steelers have scored 13 goals more than us, and conceeded 4 less, Giants have scored 9 goals more than us and played 1 game less, and conceeded 5 goals less. I really don’t care if we dont win the league, don’t win the CC, and don’t win the play offs, getting there would do, but I really want to be entertained, it’s not a god given right but if your playing poor then do something to show the fans you care. Remarks have been made about teams fans lower in the standings not kicking off, but these same fans haven’t seen anything different this season, we have and that makes it much worse, and that’s aimed at the team, not individuals. We are also told to make some noise, but try acting excited when having teeth extracted, big hits result in noise,fights result in noise, goals result in noise,great play results in noise, that’s down to the team to produce unfortunately we ain’t. There’s nothing better than seeing a full IAW, it’s what we all want to see, but a big percentage now are there due to habit, and seeing friends, and that’s not clever one bit. So it’s time now to give our team another oppurtunity to turn things around, and that’s all us fans want to see, if we lose we lose but for heavens sake lose showing a pair of balls, showing you care, and showing us, the fans matter along with the club.

 

[Mazzoak]

Some of that is down to poor Devils performances sure, but isn't a lot of that down to just hockey being the way it is now in general? Has anyone watched other teams this year on premier sports or other leagues and thought, phwoar that was brilliant? Genuine question.

To be honest no, results in the first few weeks and months were all over the place. Sheffield have the financial security to spend this year knowing that it was highly likely Covid restrictions and lockdowns could happen. In fact if the league got stopped again in February i‘d be expecting them to announce the club at the No1 spot be awarded the league title, Sheffield would’ve been salty about last season, that’d be sure that would be sorted this season.......

 

[august04 2.0]

I agree with this, I think the whole match night needs a desperate overhaul, bar and food prices are what they are, we just eat before hand usually, the match night is really bothering me though, the warmup songs used to really used to get me ready for the game, now I dont even notice whats playing, I've heard that its the players that pick those songs, well if it is I can understand why they're playing like they are.

I was stood there last night during the first period listening to Adele warble her way through one of her mournful songs and then Wham last christmas after (I realise its december) and I just thought what is going on, this really isnt getting me in the mood for more hockey, I understand that music is completely personal to the person but I feel that at events like this the music should be upbeat and drive the event along

oh and just to finish if anyone from the Devils is reading the forum for god sake get those lights out from above the changing room doors that are currently hanging there motionless and put them above the ice to be part of the match night, its driving me insane.

I absolutely agree with this. The whole match night experience has become very stale and needs a complete overhaul from top to bottom next year. Not helped by the on ice garbage too though it has to be said.

 

[Diafol]

I blame that Adele song which sucked the life out of the whole arena just in time for the third period.

How about " Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by The Smiths for Wednesday ?

 

[august04 2.0]

I blame that Adele song which sucked the life out of the whole arena just in time for the third period.

How about " Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" by The Smiths for Wednesday ?

Backed up with “Hurt” by Johnny Cash and “Disintegration” by The Cure!
What joy!!

 

[E.D.S.]

Yeah we've already made the decision not to renew our season tickets. Nothing to do with the on ice product. I've seen it much worse than this in my time but the drunken and swearing antics is the issue. When you're taking children with you to each game it has a big impact. If I'm going to watch the football, I expect it and prepare for it but hockey was different. It's a shame but the match night experience is seriously impacted as a result. This is a personal view and not done in protest or sulking - let's face it a couple less season tickets next isn't going to bother the Ownership Group. They've done wonders for the club so far so not knocking them at all. Purely a personal decision.