[cite]Posted By: LargeAddick[/cite]yep, and take a look at Reading's recent home form too. We should have been three down by half-time and were lucky to escape with a point. I'll spin it in whichever way I want and you'll do likewise so let's stick to the facts then.
4 WINS IN 28 GAMES. Enough said.
I didnt spin at all. I thought I would find a website that showed current form because I honestly didnt know what it would show. It showed us 11th and yes ahead of Reading and Cardiff.
I can only remember 3 other teams that have impressed me this season and that was Wolves Doncaster and Swansea at home.
4 wins in 28 Games....... But some unbeaten ones. Maybe some improvement but the critical games Doncaster, Watford , Preston and those early April draws because of over caution.
When it called for tactical aggression and real spirit to win and hold leads we were lacking.
So for me its a big gamble to risk another change , so by the skin of his teeth , its keep Parky.
You also have to consider our second half displays under Parky. To often we'd play ok in the firdst half, our opponents would step things up after half time and Parky's response was to be tactically inflexible. How many times did he bring subs on after we'd conceded a goal? Invariably his use of substitutes was reactive and not proactive.
[cite]Posted By: nigel w[/cite]Sometimes you need a bit of distance to get the true perspective, so perhaps it is no coincidence that IMO the two most articulate and cogent posts in this thread come from American and Prague.
And how often have they seen the team play? I live c 500 miles away, but am basing my comments on what I've seen when I've been to matches. Maybe I've picked the right ones to go to, but I've seen decent performances, team spirit and some belief out there - albeit the results haven't always followed.
Those of you who want him out - do you really believe that more upheaval will do us any good? It would be yet another massive and costly gamble.
And BFR, one of the clear reasons why we have let leads slip is because the squad was simply not fit under Pardew. Parky has actively improved that - bringing in the fitness coach, and it has got better, though it's very difficult to do much mid-season.
[cite]Posted By: SE7[/cite]I'm sorry how can anyone back this man. Yes, he may be a nice bloke and all that tosh but if the players really think that performances are improving then there is something really wrong. I mean had we stuck with Pardew I can bet we still would have got more wins, and more than 39 bloody points. As Parky said in his interview post Norwich I think the board should tell him within the next week that he should move on and we can get someone else in on a low budget, doesn't matter if he is an unknown, just someone cheap and we can build from there. We are probably going to have a whole new squad anyone with only maybe 2 or 3 survivors from this year so its not going to make a huge difference IMO and to be honest if we can finish in the top 10 next year I will be more than happy cause to try and do a Leicster is complete madness as we do not have the finances to risk failing again.
We can't just get someone in even if he's completely unproven and unknown, just for the sake of it.
I'm not against a new manager, but they have to be a clear improvement. Someone we know we can be almost certain that they will do well.
When Pardew left the players had no confidence at all, we couldn't defend and we couldn't score goals. It's taken a while and the team still needs a lot of improvements up front and in defence, but we've looked much more like a team than we have for a long time. As Weegie said we've improved fitness, it's not just down to ZZ and Racon returning and Shelvey coming through. Parkinson has also got more out of Sam and helped Youga get his confidence back.
He's got a lot to prove but I still have that feeling he can build a squad to take us back up, as long as we don't lose too many of the players we need to keep. Completely different situation. He couldn't instantly give players confidence and turn everything around, but I feel like he could get it right next season. I completely understand why that sounds ridiculous after his record.
[cite]Posted By: jimmymelrose[/cite]Doncaster, watford, Birmingham, Cardiff, Blackpool : you are all harping on about teams in a league above us.
Forget them.
Think about the teams in Div3: with Parky allowed to continue, I reckon we'll beat them. That's all that matters.
As the saying goes Jimmy, you can only fail to beat what's put in front of you. Who knows, if we'd been playing Div 3 teams then maybe we'd have failed to beat them too!
I think Parkinson should go and go quickly, but whereas I was happy to see the back of Pardew and Dowie, it will be with regret that I see Parkie go. I do believe that he has improved the team, they have played good football in recent weeks and unlike a post earlier in this thread I do believe that he has got more points than Pardew would have got. Thereason that he needs to go is his failure to prove himself in the transfer market. Maybe Murty and definitely Ward have been his only success, a hatrick by Burton on Saturday does not hide the fact that as a key striker being brought into the club to add fire power, along with Kandol failed, as did Gillespie and to a lesser extent Soares. His ability to recruit the right people during the close season is vital and his record does not give the necessary confidence that he will be able to do it.
It was also suggested in an earlier post that it did not matter if we brought in an inexperienced manager, which cannot be acceptable, we need someone with experience who knows players at lower league level and can dig in - Mick Harford anyone?
Two quite different issues here that are in several posts getting confused , it seems to me.
a) Is he any good and do his results mean he deserves to stay?
Well, just ask yourself how may points off safety we were when Pardew went and how many we were adrift by the end of the season. Now look us in the eye and try to tell us with a straight face that there has been an improvement. The best spell of the season came under Pardew when he won three of our first six games.
American and Prague haven't attended many games and so haven't been seduced into thinking we are better than we are by seeing a few smart moves from Shelvey, some decent goals by Bailey and Parky's 'I'm doing my best' nice guy image. They see the bigger picture : which is that we ended the season a worse team under Parky than we started it under Pardew.
b) Can we afford to get rid of Parkinson/can we get anyone better?
If the answer to a) is a resounding 'no', the answer to (b) is much more of a 'don't know'. They are two quite different questions. Sooner or later they will need to be squared. But we still don't know how.
That hardly addresses the point Peanut, which was how we square (a) the fact that Parkinson doesn't deserve the job with (b) the possibility that we may not be able to afford or attract anyone better qualified.
What's the answer to this conundrum? I dont know. Do you?
Nigel, the old journalist in you is rearing its head. If you can eloquantly make it sound true, then it must be true !
Unlike our articulate overseas friends, i have seen the majority of his reign. And i personally can't make a conclusive decision. Don't care if people think that is fence sitting, that's how i honestly feel.
On the one hand results clearly have not gone our way, so if you are looking to judge it on a short-term appointment, then it is easy to make a short-term decision. Out.
However, that is the main problem i have with the whole situation. Everything surrounding it has been about short-term fire-fighting. He did not start his job on zero points and a level playing field. Signings have not been made to have any form of long-term impact, nor has imposing a long-term style of play.
I will agree for the umpteenth time that he should never have been appointed in the first place. We needed an impact manager in Dec / Jan, and promoting the assistant never will give you that impact.
However, if the financial situation does not improve then i am intrigued what he can bring to the club with his more long-term signings, and a full pre-season to properly impose on the squad that this is his team. I still don't think through situation we have seen it yet. But we have learnt that from performances and soundbytes, that the players are still with him, which given the situation is quite telling to me.
If indecision is rife on here, then i bet it is a similar situation in the board room.
One thing i just don't get is the immature hatred some people are showing towards him. I have seen nothing in his character, approach or words to deserve that, and i think that some of the people who do want him gone will allienate others by taking that approach.
[cite]Posted By: AFKABartram[/cite]Nigel, the old journalist in you is rearing its head. If you can eloquantly make it sound true, then it must be true !
Unlike our articulate overseas friends, i have seen the majority of his reign. And i personally can't make a conclusive decision. Don't care if people think that is fence sitting, that's how i honestly feel.
Agree with that completely. I'm very torn.
[cite]Posted By: AFKABartram[/cite]
If indecision is rife on here, then i bet it is a similar situation in the board room.
One thing i just don't get is the immature hatred some people are showing towards him. I have seen nothing in his character, approach or words to deserve that, and i think that some of the people who do want him gone will alienate others by taking that approach.
So true. Appointing a football manager is hardly an exact science which is why the vast majority of Lifers were delighted with Pardew coming in.
AFKA said : ''personally can't make a conclusive decision. Don't care if people think that is fence sitting, that's how i honestly feel.''
I wrote : ''What's the answer to this conundrum? I dont know.''
So we're not disagreeing really, are we AFKA? If the takeover proceeds and there is new investmet the club, I suspect we would all agree that a new manager should be an essential part of the new regime.
But if we continue under the current circumstances without two ten bob bits to rub together, then what to do is far more complicated.
Some very interesting points & lively debate on here! I'll add my 'penneth to the mix. :-)
Points win prizes, & Parkinson simply didn't get enough. We were never 'at the races' with him in the saddle(sorry:-). Its all well & good saying 'look at the improvement', but Scunthorpe, at the end of last season, went on a good little run after they got relegated(& a better one than ours too!).
There was enough time to re-motivate the team & turn it round & he failed to do that. Yes, there has been a rot through the club, but we were not relegated at Christmas/New Year. Clubs with-on paper-worse squads have had new managers in & turned their seasons around at similar times in a season, Watford, Doncaster & Forest this year & I'm loathe to say, Palace twice, first with Doh!-ie, then with Warnock. It was possible to get out of this mess & Parkinson has had a good chance, but not taken it.
He's had a decent enough squad(a little thin in places, admittedly), but the players 'not being good enough' or 'poisoned chalice', doesn't really ring true with me either.
Yes, there have been some truly abysmal performances, but the 4-2 Reading win (with '10 of our own' in the side), put on a display that I honestly felt could(& should've) inspire us for an amazing season. Yep, a couple moved on(Varney, Bouazza) & a couple had injuries(Fortune, Gray) & we were unfortunate with some decisions/luck, but the majority were still there. The decline that followed, largely came through some amazing tactical ineptitude & naivety, & an inability to motivate, on both Pardew & Parkinsons' parts. They failed to get the best out of the squad ultimately, & that what a manager is there to do.
He does come across as a 'decent guy', & I certainly harbour no malice toward him, but unfortunately, 'business is business' & being a decent guy, but not doing your job with any success, is not really good enough. I will back him if he stays, (a small part of me would like to see what he could do with a clean slate starting this summer) but I'll be far happier/relieved to see him go, & for us to have a truly fresh start. I look at what Nigel Pearson has done with Leicester for my inspiration & aspirations & think it could be possible for us with a 'fresh' manager at the helm
where were we in the league when Pardew left ? where did we end up? when was the last time we finished bottom and 13ish points from saftey ? where was Parkinson for the two years he was Pardews number 2?
we have been told upteen times over the year that "CAFC has to be (and is) run like a business " well sorry but not the last 3 years it isnt and hasnt.
enough BS and twaddle remember we where told Parkinson would be "judged on results" ------------------ so judge him on THE RESULT--- worst team (by far) in this league.
I think we're all agreed that there is no easy answer to this conundrum, but maybe a couple of points to consider .......
A football manager's job is varied and complex and, to be successful, you need skills in different areas (judgement and recruitment of players, team selection, team tactics, player motivation, man management, board management, supporter management, media savvy etc etc). Without going into discussion on all of those areas, but focussing on player recruitment, I pose the question "how good is Phil Parkinson's network at League 1 level?"
We need to recognise that the type of player we will be able to afford has changed dramatically now. The salary budget will be constrained even more and we have to identify and snap up the bargains before our rivals do. The quality of Parkinson's network at League 1 level (possibly a couple of years out of date now) will be critical to our success. Our scouting team will need to show the same kind of 'nous' - and the evidence is not good when you consider, for example, that there is a 19 year old squad player at a Premier League side who was snatched from under our noses due to indecision on the part of our scouting team.
Irrespective of any other strengths or weaknesses Phil Parkinson may have, I suggest that this ability to find and recruit the lower league and/or overseas diamonds is essential and, if he doesn’t have it, the Board needs to find someone who does.
Oh, and don’t give me the “Parkinson has a track record of achieving success at League 1 level – look at what he did with Colchester” argument. The fact that someone did something once doesn’t mean that they will automatically do it again. It’s why I always found it amusing to hear that “Pardew takes two years to get his teams out of the Championship – look what he did at Reading and at West Ham”.
The bottom line for me is that, if we are going to emulate the golden years where we had the Murray/Curbishley/Reed/Varney combination, the Club needs to identify the pieces of the new puzzle that will fit together. This includes Board level as well as the First Team Manager and back-up/scouting staff.
Assuming that there is no massive take-over in the wings (and even if there is), I’d start with defining the roles of the various contributors a little better. Where does the Chairman’s role actually stop and start? What is the Chief Executive really there to do? From that, we would then get a much clearer idea of the Manager’s remit (back to the list of different skills identified at the start of this long post) and that of the back-up staff required - from a purely footballing perspective.
Once the job description is clearer, the suitability of any given candidate is much easier to assess. If Phil Parkinson is then the best option at the affordable price, so be it but, as I said at the start, I’d like to be sure, at the very least, that his judgement and recruitment network are good enough to allow him to do the job the Club requires.
Parky has not demonstrated that he can teach our side to defend, as can be seen by the poor 1st goal we conceded against Norwich. Most of the goals we let in this year were not pieces of sublime skill from the opposition but our failure to clear the ball from set plays or prevent crosses; basic defending. Going down a division is not going to make it less likely that teams will punish us in a similar fashion. Also I don't really want to see 4-5-1 at home or eleven men defending corners. Parky has to go, he hasn't a clue.
At this moment in time I have personal hatred of Parkinson. When Parkinson took over in November the club was in trouble but importantly only a couple of points from safety. We were in a similiar position to Watford and in a better position than Nottingham Forest. Watford and Nottingham Forest made the decision to sack their managers and appoint new managers from outside their clubs. WE DIDN"T. The new managers with fresh ideas saved Watford and Nottingham Forest, In contrast Charlton under Parkinson went into freefall culminating in the worst run of any team in our 104 year history.
Events this season have probably put the club back 20 years. I know that one man isn't responsible for Charlton demise and relegation, but his record is truely appaling and in my opinion this man couldn't manage a pub team!
Parky said: "The club's had a period of instability and needs a stable period.
"I know all the players, I know which players we're going to get in because we're already in talks with those players and, also, I've taken a team out of the first division before in Colchester and got them promoted.
"So if that wants to be changed and started all over again like the club has done several times then I'll walk out of here with my head held high."
Can we really judge Parky after this period of time is maybe what it comes down to?
I think since he has been at the club for such a long time, really his performance should have been better results wise than it has been given that he's had a pretty much fully fit squad, so I guess I'm 70/30 against him remaining.
I was totally stuck on the fence regarding Parky...........for reasons already mentioned and added to that apart from Dowie, I really do/have found it hard to hate anything to do with my club..............no matter how bad it's been.
BUT
I was lucky enough to speak to some players and I'd like to think I can tell the difference between 'party line' and honesty. And so as a result, I'm firmly on the side of wanting him to stay.
I have no idea whether he's a nice bloke, as he didn't hang about that long the other night & I can't say I blame him either. I don't buy programme's anymore so I have no idea if he talks the talk. But what I was convinced about was the players want him to stay.
That Gold fella from Birmingham said it last night, you only get promoted if everyone is pulling together in the same direction.
So, forget about the past (& that includes talking about Mr C ffs). It's time for us to all pull together. Let the board make a decision (yes they've made mistakes and they are well aware of that) and lets allow them to try and make up for it.
That BBC article contains the first real words I've heard Parky say and frankly I'm amazed he wants to stay for all the stick he's had (whether you think it right or wrong).
Unity is the key word now.
Forget about money from takeovers.................remember Zebeel????
We have what we have................lets get on with it. If we want to keep some core players, who is going to want to stay if we're all pulling in different directions?
Lets show them some fight, lets all fight together!
Comments
I'm off to watch Pride and Premiership
I didnt spin at all. I thought I would find a website that showed current form because I honestly didnt know what it would show. It showed us 11th and yes ahead of Reading and Cardiff.
I can only remember 3 other teams that have impressed me this season and that was Wolves Doncaster and Swansea at home.
I don't want anyone out.
When it called for tactical aggression and real spirit to win and hold leads we were lacking.
So for me its a big gamble to risk another change , so by the skin of his teeth , its keep Parky.
And how often have they seen the team play? I live c 500 miles away, but am basing my comments on what I've seen when I've been to matches. Maybe I've picked the right ones to go to, but I've seen decent performances, team spirit and some belief out there - albeit the results haven't always followed.
Those of you who want him out - do you really believe that more upheaval will do us any good? It would be yet another massive and costly gamble.
And BFR, one of the clear reasons why we have let leads slip is because the squad was simply not fit under Pardew. Parky has actively improved that - bringing in the fitness coach, and it has got better, though it's very difficult to do much mid-season.
We can't just get someone in even if he's completely unproven and unknown, just for the sake of it.
I'm not against a new manager, but they have to be a clear improvement. Someone we know we can be almost certain that they will do well.
When Pardew left the players had no confidence at all, we couldn't defend and we couldn't score goals. It's taken a while and the team still needs a lot of improvements up front and in defence, but we've looked much more like a team than we have for a long time. As Weegie said we've improved fitness, it's not just down to ZZ and Racon returning and Shelvey coming through. Parkinson has also got more out of Sam and helped Youga get his confidence back.
He's got a lot to prove but I still have that feeling he can build a squad to take us back up, as long as we don't lose too many of the players we need to keep. Completely different situation. He couldn't instantly give players confidence and turn everything around, but I feel like he could get it right next season. I completely understand why that sounds ridiculous after his record.
As the saying goes Jimmy, you can only fail to beat what's put in front of you. Who knows, if we'd been playing Div 3 teams then maybe we'd have failed to beat them too!
It was also suggested in an earlier post that it did not matter if we brought in an inexperienced manager, which cannot be acceptable, we need someone with experience who knows players at lower league level and can dig in - Mick Harford anyone?
a) Is he any good and do his results mean he deserves to stay?
Well, just ask yourself how may points off safety we were when Pardew went and how many we were adrift by the end of the season. Now look us in the eye and try to tell us with a straight face that there has been an improvement. The best spell of the season came under Pardew when he won three of our first six games.
American and Prague haven't attended many games and so haven't been seduced into thinking we are better than we are by seeing a few smart moves from Shelvey, some decent goals by Bailey and Parky's 'I'm doing my best' nice guy image. They see the bigger picture : which is that we ended the season a worse team under Parky than we started it under Pardew.
b) Can we afford to get rid of Parkinson/can we get anyone better?
If the answer to a) is a resounding 'no', the answer to (b) is much more of a 'don't know'. They are two quite different questions. Sooner or later they will need to be squared. But we still don't know how.
Its essential that whoever chooses the Management team hasnt watched any of the games played or know any of the players etc etc.
So we also need a takeover from Chief Ngogo who has never set foot in The Valley to decide how it goes forward from here.
What's the answer to this conundrum? I dont know. Do you?
Unlike our articulate overseas friends, i have seen the majority of his reign. And i personally can't make a conclusive decision. Don't care if people think that is fence sitting, that's how i honestly feel.
On the one hand results clearly have not gone our way, so if you are looking to judge it on a short-term appointment, then it is easy to make a short-term decision. Out.
However, that is the main problem i have with the whole situation. Everything surrounding it has been about short-term fire-fighting. He did not start his job on zero points and a level playing field. Signings have not been made to have any form of long-term impact, nor has imposing a long-term style of play.
I will agree for the umpteenth time that he should never have been appointed in the first place. We needed an impact manager in Dec / Jan, and promoting the assistant never will give you that impact.
However, if the financial situation does not improve then i am intrigued what he can bring to the club with his more long-term signings, and a full pre-season to properly impose on the squad that this is his team. I still don't think through situation we have seen it yet. But we have learnt that from performances and soundbytes, that the players are still with him, which given the situation is quite telling to me.
If indecision is rife on here, then i bet it is a similar situation in the board room.
One thing i just don't get is the immature hatred some people are showing towards him. I have seen nothing in his character, approach or words to deserve that, and i think that some of the people who do want him gone will allienate others by taking that approach.
Agree with that completely. I'm very torn.
So true. Appointing a football manager is hardly an exact science which is why the vast majority of Lifers were delighted with Pardew coming in.
The personal hatred of him just baffles me too.
I wrote : ''What's the answer to this conundrum? I dont know.''
So we're not disagreeing really, are we AFKA? If the takeover proceeds and there is new investmet the club, I suspect we would all agree that a new manager should be an essential part of the new regime.
But if we continue under the current circumstances without two ten bob bits to rub together, then what to do is far more complicated.
Points win prizes, & Parkinson simply didn't get enough. We were never 'at the races' with him in the saddle(sorry:-). Its all well & good saying 'look at the improvement', but Scunthorpe, at the end of last season, went on a good little run after they got relegated(& a better one than ours too!).
There was enough time to re-motivate the team & turn it round & he failed to do that. Yes, there has been a rot through the club, but we were not relegated at Christmas/New Year. Clubs with-on paper-worse squads have had new managers in & turned their seasons around at similar times in a season, Watford, Doncaster & Forest this year & I'm loathe to say, Palace twice, first with Doh!-ie, then with Warnock. It was possible to get out of this mess & Parkinson has had a good chance, but not taken it.
He's had a decent enough squad(a little thin in places, admittedly), but the players 'not being good enough' or 'poisoned chalice', doesn't really ring true with me either.
Yes, there have been some truly abysmal performances, but the 4-2 Reading win (with '10 of our own' in the side), put on a display that I honestly felt could(& should've) inspire us for an amazing season. Yep, a couple moved on(Varney, Bouazza) & a couple had injuries(Fortune, Gray) & we were unfortunate with some decisions/luck, but the majority were still there. The decline that followed, largely came through some amazing tactical ineptitude & naivety, & an inability to motivate, on both Pardew & Parkinsons' parts. They failed to get the best out of the squad ultimately, & that what a manager is there to do.
He does come across as a 'decent guy', & I certainly harbour no malice toward him, but unfortunately, 'business is business' & being a decent guy, but not doing your job with any success, is not really good enough. I will back him if he stays, (a small part of me would like to see what he could do with a clean slate starting this summer) but I'll be far happier/relieved to see him go, & for us to have a truly fresh start. I look at what Nigel Pearson has done with Leicester for my inspiration & aspirations & think it could be possible for us with a 'fresh' manager at the helm
where did we end up?
when was the last time we finished bottom and 13ish points from saftey ?
where was Parkinson for the two years he was Pardews number 2?
we have been told upteen times over the year that "CAFC has to be (and is) run like a business " well sorry but not the last 3 years it isnt and hasnt.
enough BS and twaddle remember we where told Parkinson would be "judged on results" ------------------ so judge him on THE RESULT--- worst team (by far) in this league.
A football manager's job is varied and complex and, to be successful, you need skills in different areas (judgement and recruitment of players, team selection, team tactics, player motivation, man management, board management, supporter management, media savvy etc etc). Without going into discussion on all of those areas, but focussing on player recruitment, I pose the question "how good is Phil Parkinson's network at League 1 level?"
We need to recognise that the type of player we will be able to afford has changed dramatically now. The salary budget will be constrained even more and we have to identify and snap up the bargains before our rivals do. The quality of Parkinson's network at League 1 level (possibly a couple of years out of date now) will be critical to our success. Our scouting team will need to show the same kind of 'nous' - and the evidence is not good when you consider, for example, that there is a 19 year old squad player at a Premier League side who was snatched from under our noses due to indecision on the part of our scouting team.
Irrespective of any other strengths or weaknesses Phil Parkinson may have, I suggest that this ability to find and recruit the lower league and/or overseas diamonds is essential and, if he doesn’t have it, the Board needs to find someone who does.
Oh, and don’t give me the “Parkinson has a track record of achieving success at League 1 level – look at what he did with Colchester” argument. The fact that someone did something once doesn’t mean that they will automatically do it again. It’s why I always found it amusing to hear that “Pardew takes two years to get his teams out of the Championship – look what he did at Reading and at West Ham”.
The bottom line for me is that, if we are going to emulate the golden years where we had the Murray/Curbishley/Reed/Varney combination, the Club needs to identify the pieces of the new puzzle that will fit together. This includes Board level as well as the First Team Manager and back-up/scouting staff.
Assuming that there is no massive take-over in the wings (and even if there is), I’d start with defining the roles of the various contributors a little better. Where does the Chairman’s role actually stop and start? What is the Chief Executive really there to do? From that, we would then get a much clearer idea of the Manager’s remit (back to the list of different skills identified at the start of this long post) and that of the back-up staff required - from a purely footballing perspective.
Once the job description is clearer, the suitability of any given candidate is much easier to assess. If Phil Parkinson is then the best option at the affordable price, so be it but, as I said at the start, I’d like to be sure, at the very least, that his judgement and recruitment network are good enough to allow him to do the job the Club requires.
Fresh input.
Fresh ideas
Fresh League
Fresh Charlton
When Parkinson took over in November the club was in trouble but importantly only a couple of points from safety. We were in a similiar position to Watford and in a better position than Nottingham Forest. Watford and Nottingham Forest made the decision to sack their managers and appoint new managers from outside their clubs. WE DIDN"T. The new managers with fresh ideas saved Watford and Nottingham Forest, In contrast Charlton under Parkinson went into freefall culminating in the worst run of any team in our 104 year history.
Events this season have probably put the club back 20 years. I know that one man isn't responsible for Charlton demise and relegation, but his record is truely appaling and in my opinion this man couldn't manage a pub team!
"I know all the players, I know which players we're going to get in because we're already in talks with those players and, also, I've taken a team out of the first division before in Colchester and got them promoted.
"So if that wants to be changed and started all over again like the club has done several times then I'll walk out of here with my head held high."
Agree with what he says TBH!
I think since he has been at the club for such a long time, really his performance should have been better results wise than it has been given that he's had a pretty much fully fit squad, so I guess I'm 70/30 against him remaining.
BUT
I was lucky enough to speak to some players and I'd like to think I can tell the difference between 'party line' and honesty. And so as a result, I'm firmly on the side of wanting him to stay.
I have no idea whether he's a nice bloke, as he didn't hang about that long the other night & I can't say I blame him either. I don't buy programme's anymore so I have no idea if he talks the talk. But what I was convinced about was the players want him to stay.
That Gold fella from Birmingham said it last night, you only get promoted if everyone is pulling together in the same direction.
So, forget about the past (& that includes talking about Mr C ffs). It's time for us to all pull together. Let the board make a decision (yes they've made mistakes and they are well aware of that) and lets allow them to try and make up for it.
That BBC article contains the first real words I've heard Parky say and frankly I'm amazed he wants to stay for all the stick he's had (whether you think it right or wrong).
Unity is the key word now.
Forget about money from takeovers.................remember Zebeel????
We have what we have................lets get on with it. If we want to keep some core players, who is going to want to stay if we're all pulling in different directions?
Lets show them some fight, lets all fight together!
LLLBH
xxxxx