One thing I really don’t like about Appleton is his tendency to ostracise players he has decided aren’t up to it. People just disappear from the squad and aren’t seen for weeks and you know they aren’t coming back in unless something big happens. It’s fine when it’s players like Kirk but Anderson suddenly found himself out of the squad then thrown back in, Tedic is out in the cold until we’re desperate, L Watson is clearly in the doghouse along with Tyreece and then when Appleton is out of ideas he chucks them back in and expects them to perform. Chem right back in after getting dropped for the Cray replay and everything else, Anderson suddenly in the first 11 again, I’ve no doubt if the crisis suited it Abankwah would be in, it’s no way to manage a squad of players. You’re worthless until you’re needed and you’d better be brilliant and grateful or I’ll snidely announce in public that this is why you don’t play.
I agree absolutely regarding Appleton’s apparent detachment and lack of personality. Obviously managers are primarily appointed to win games but once that goes wrong you are on a slippery slope. The body language of the players right now is horrible and you can just sense the negativity throughout the team. Appleton’s public persona doesn’t give me any confidence that he has the right character to lift the squad and I have no sense of O’Donnell’s (?) character as his number 2.
Maybe a silly example, but Terry Smith interviews Appleton before and after every game. He is always polite and respectful and Appleton knows he is part of the fabric and through interviews and match commentaries is a conduit to the fans. Not once can I recall him addressing Terry by name on camera. No warmth, no recognition, no smile. Nothing. He might be different with his players but not many can easily switch their personalities on and off.
One day we will get lucky and end up with another Curbs or Lennie. Not every manager is shite. By the law of averages employ enough managers and eventually we will strike gold.
There's a common factor at play here. The squad of players are shite.
Pep or Klopp would struggle to get this lot anywhere near the play offs. We haven't had a decent full back for what seems like years, our centre backs are poor and there's no creativity in midfield.
So we can continue recycling managers every few months and hope we 'strike gold' but it's far more likely that we won't do anything until the squad is actually improved.
One day we will get lucky and end up with another Curbs or Lennie. Not every manager is shite. By the law of averages employ enough managers and eventually we will strike gold.
There's a common factor at play here. The squad of players are shite.
Pep or Klopp would struggle to get this lot anywhere near the play offs. We haven't had a decent full back for what seems like years, our centre backs are poor and there's no creativity in midfield.
So we can continue recycling managers every few months and hope we 'strike gold' but it's far more likely that we won't do anything until the squad is actually improved.
Appleton looks bored and clueless.
Does that help ?
Don't get me wrong, i'm not for a single second sat here thinking Appleton is the answer. I just feel there's far bigger issues than the manager, namely that our squad isn't good enough to be a promotion contender, and changing the manager isn't going to really solve that.
Agree on the ownership/lack of investment issues, but if the bloke in the technical area looks as if he is about to go asleep, then what will he add?
The fans may decide to simply accept that this is the best the club can appoint and that is fair enough, but the bottom line is that we may fall further with this unsmiling clown in charge.
We need a manager who can squeeze the best out of all of our players, by motivating them, coaching them and playing them in their right positions, in the right formation. Against Bristol Rovers we started brightly, with a couple of early chances, and May hitting the bar when, for one of the only times in the game, he was in his favoured position, in front of the goal.
You could see that early promise slipping away as the match progressed, with the manager doing absolutely nothing to try to prevent the slide.
For once his substitutions worked, but that was mainly because of poor defending but their full back.
So we need an experienced manager who isn’t firmly committed to one style of play and one formation.
It all went wrong in the end with Lee Bowyer, but we shouldn’t forget that he was flexible, would get the team organised, and would change things up during a game if he saw something wasn’t working. I wouldn’t be disappointed if we gave him another go.
I absolutely agree with Seth about the detachment factor with Appleton, just feels like there's no attempt from him to connect with the fans. Maybe it's something he doesn't see as part of his job and he's not bothered about it. But surely when he applied for the role he would have spoken to people and done his research and realised that the connection is important, Holden managed to understand the club as an outsider so it's not as if it's impossible for someone that has no prior links to build that rapport.
Blackpool fans said exactly the same, doesn’t really care about building that connection
I’m not too bothered that he doesn’t connect with the fans, but I am bothered that he doesn’t connect with the players.
The board can only win over by investing in the squad from this window.
We need the foundations for next season to start now. If that includes a new manager so be it.
Do the board (money) need to win over the fans ? They’re so remote and non football for that to matter. Methven, Scott and Rodwell won’t be able to win over some fans regardless.
The board can only win over by investing in the squad from this window.
We need the foundations for next season to start now. If that includes a new manager so be it.
Do the board (money) need to win over the fans ? They’re so remote and non football for that to matter. Methven, Scott and Rodwell won’t be able to win over some fans regardless.
Yes. The trading losses will grow as our attendance’s diminish. Regardless of the enthusiasm there is a budget to achieve / align to.
We will soon see if the budget really included player investment or not.
If no investment we know for sure CM and co sold them a dream that demanded no real further spend. Our league position now is a red herring to that in my opinion. I just think it reinforces the need to squad build now for next season.
I’ve don’t like calling for a manager to be sacked, managers are people too, after all. However, I will say that I had no faith in Appleton to begin with but was willing to give him some time based on what Oxford and Lincoln fans had to say about him. And things did start quite well, with promising signs he might at least get us playing good football.
I don’t think it should be underestimated how much Leaburn’s and Aneke’s injuries are restricting us. With Tedic not up to much, the absence of a proper target man really does impact us negatively.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
I don’t know enough about wider football outside SE7 to suggest a name, but I’ll say what I say every time we’ve changed managers decently, we need someone who will build from the back. I don’t want to hear talk of good football or attacking intent in their first press conference. I want to hear them talk about organising the team, pragmatic tactics, and being tough to beat. I don’t want to watch us play like that long term but until we have that solid foundation our weak defence will always undermine us, no matter how good our attack is.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
I’ve don’t like calling for a manager to be sacked, managers are people too, after all. However, I will say that I had no faith in Appleton to begin with but was willing to give him some time based on what Oxford and Lincoln fans had to say about him. And things did start quite well, with promising signs he might at least get us playing good football.
I don’t think it should be underestimated how much Leaburn’s and Aneke’s injuries are restricting us. With Tedic not up to much, the absence of a proper target man really does impact us negatively.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
I don’t know enough about wider football outside SE7 to suggest a name, but I’ll say what I say every time we’ve changed managers decently, we need someone who will build from the back. I don’t want to hear talk of good football or attacking intent in their first press conference. I want to hear them talk about organising the team, pragmatic tactics, and being tough to beat. I don’t want to watch us play like that long term but until we have that solid foundation our weak defence will always undermine us, no matter how good our attack is.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
All well and good, but Appleton is rubbish.
Under him, our team will get worse.
Maybe a GOOD appointment will stop fans from demanding sackings?
I’ve don’t like calling for a manager to be sacked, managers are people too, after all. However, I will say that I had no faith in Appleton to begin with but was willing to give him some time based on what Oxford and Lincoln fans had to say about him. And things did start quite well, with promising signs he might at least get us playing good football.
I don’t think it should be underestimated how much Leaburn’s and Aneke’s injuries are restricting us. With Tedic not up to much, the absence of a proper target man really does impact us negatively.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
I don’t know enough about wider football outside SE7 to suggest a name, but I’ll say what I say every time we’ve changed managers decently, we need someone who will build from the back. I don’t want to hear talk of good football or attacking intent in their first press conference. I want to hear them talk about organising the team, pragmatic tactics, and being tough to beat. I don’t want to watch us play like that long term but until we have that solid foundation our weak defence will always undermine us, no matter how good our attack is.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
All well and good, but Appleton is rubbish.
Under him, our team will get worse.
Maybe a GOOD appointment will stop fans from demanding sackings?
I’ve don’t like calling for a manager to be sacked, managers are people too, after all. However, I will say that I had no faith in Appleton to begin with but was willing to give him some time based on what Oxford and Lincoln fans had to say about him. And things did start quite well, with promising signs he might at least get us playing good football.
I don’t think it should be underestimated how much Leaburn’s and Aneke’s injuries are restricting us. With Tedic not up to much, the absence of a proper target man really does impact us negatively.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
I don’t know enough about wider football outside SE7 to suggest a name, but I’ll say what I say every time we’ve changed managers decently, we need someone who will build from the back. I don’t want to hear talk of good football or attacking intent in their first press conference. I want to hear them talk about organising the team, pragmatic tactics, and being tough to beat. I don’t want to watch us play like that long term but until we have that solid foundation our weak defence will always undermine us, no matter how good our attack is.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
All well and good, but Appleton is rubbish.
Under him, our team will get worse.
Maybe a GOOD appointment will stop fans from demanding sackings?
But the managers quality is not just down to them. At least, not totally. Powell would not have had his success if he hadn't been able to influence the recruitment process, for example. Our next appointment could be Shankly, Ferguson and Clough all in one but give him signings like Tedic or Abankwah and we're going nowhere.
I'm not saying that Appleton is the answer, he's very clearly not. But there's no point in replacing him if we're not ALSO addressing the rest of the problems as well.
I’ve don’t like calling for a manager to be sacked, managers are people too, after all. However, I will say that I had no faith in Appleton to begin with but was willing to give him some time based on what Oxford and Lincoln fans had to say about him. And things did start quite well, with promising signs he might at least get us playing good football.
I don’t think it should be underestimated how much Leaburn’s and Aneke’s injuries are restricting us. With Tedic not up to much, the absence of a proper target man really does impact us negatively.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
I don’t know enough about wider football outside SE7 to suggest a name, but I’ll say what I say every time we’ve changed managers decently, we need someone who will build from the back. I don’t want to hear talk of good football or attacking intent in their first press conference. I want to hear them talk about organising the team, pragmatic tactics, and being tough to beat. I don’t want to watch us play like that long term but until we have that solid foundation our weak defence will always undermine us, no matter how good our attack is.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
The evidence would suggest the monkeys are calling the shots, for now at least. I don’t disagree that ultimately they will be reined in, but there is no evidence the beneficial owners want to run the club.
I’ve don’t like calling for a manager to be sacked, managers are people too, after all. However, I will say that I had no faith in Appleton to begin with but was willing to give him some time based on what Oxford and Lincoln fans had to say about him. And things did start quite well, with promising signs he might at least get us playing good football.
I don’t think it should be underestimated how much Leaburn’s and Aneke’s injuries are restricting us. With Tedic not up to much, the absence of a proper target man really does impact us negatively.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
I don’t know enough about wider football outside SE7 to suggest a name, but I’ll say what I say every time we’ve changed managers decently, we need someone who will build from the back. I don’t want to hear talk of good football or attacking intent in their first press conference. I want to hear them talk about organising the team, pragmatic tactics, and being tough to beat. I don’t want to watch us play like that long term but until we have that solid foundation our weak defence will always undermine us, no matter how good our attack is.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
All well and good, but Appleton is rubbish.
Under him, our team will get worse.
Maybe a GOOD appointment will stop fans from demanding sackings?
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
The evidence would suggest the monkeys are calling the shots, for now at least. I don’t disagree that ultimately they will be reined in, but there is no evidence the beneficial owners want to run the club.
Did you think they will pull the plug, if losses mount up and it becomes a little toxic?
Personally, I fear they will let us go under rather than throw money at the problem.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
Even with money, i doubt that Scott/Appleton will use it wisely based on evidence so far.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
The evidence would suggest the monkeys are calling the shots, for now at least. I do youn’t disagree that ultimately they will be reined in, but there is no evidence the beneficial owners want to run the club.
Someone needs to emerge from this, what appears to be, group of silent partners, to raise their voice and grasp the bull by the horns. Unfortunately there's no sign of that happening as yet as you say, but it's the new year and I'll be full of optimism, at least until after today's game! 🙄
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
The evidence would suggest the monkeys are calling the shots, for now at least. I don’t disagree that ultimately they will be reined in, but there is no evidence the beneficial owners want to run the club.
Did you think they will pull the plug, if losses mount up and it becomes a little toxic?
Personally, I fear they will let us go under rather than throw money at the problem.
Impossible to say and no guarantee they will all want the same thing. Unless you are a fan or are also prepared to buy your way into the Premier League, I cannot see any basis for paying Thomas Sandgaard what they appear to have paid plus funding the ongoing operating loss, so I wonder what they were led to expect.
“Letting it go under” might not be an attractive option either. It’s likely more cost-effective to sell the business on for £1.
holden was sacked partly because he switched formations - he had to because once leaburn got injured, it was impossible to play 433 - apples was brought in to play a 433 system and was lucky that leaburn and aneke became available - they then got injured but apples was employed by scott to play 433 and that is how the clubs coaching and recruitment is set up - i was chatting to an u21 player yesterday and he said apples has to play 433 - he also said andy scott is a bellend and that lucas ness is a better player than hector
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
Even with money, i doubt that Scott/Appleton will use it wisely based on evidence so far.
Appleton hasn't had a window as a manager and Scott hasn't had a full window at the club under the new owners. I'm not counting last year as sangaards brief was to cut costs.
im not saying they are transfer window masters but saying "evidence so far" when considering the time both have spent at the club under an open window seems a little crazy to me
holden was sacked partly because he switched formations - he had to because once leaburn got injured, it was impossible to play 433 - apples was brought in to play a 433 system and was lucky that leaburn and aneke became available - they then got injured but apples was employed by scott to play 433 and that is how the clubs coaching and recruitment is set up - i was chatting to an u21 player yesterday and he said apples has to play 433 - he also said andy scott is a bellend and that lucas ness is a better player than hector
You lost me at that last comment. Ness has been absolute dog wank all season
Not sure why there is such antipathy towards Steve Evans. He is not the most likeable of characters obviously, but he strikes me as just the right sort of manager for us.We desperately need someone like him to kick ass.
Not sure why there is such antipathy towards Steve Evans. He is not the most likeable of characters obviously, but he strikes me as just the right sort of manager for us.We desperately need someone like him to kick ass.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
I agree with all the posts suggesting we need continuity of manager, and have posted as such myself, but I just can't help thinking we should have settled on someone else. Easy to say after December's results I suppose,.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Well said. And I agree. The opportunity to change the script is in their hands, I feel now is the time to make a difference.
Even with money, i doubt that Scott/Appleton will use it wisely based on evidence so far.
Comments
Maybe a silly example, but Terry Smith interviews Appleton before and after every game. He is always polite and respectful and Appleton knows he is part of the fabric and through interviews and match commentaries is a conduit to the fans. Not once can I recall him addressing Terry by name on camera. No warmth, no recognition, no smile. Nothing. He might be different with his players but not many can easily switch their personalities on and off.
The fans may decide to simply accept that this is the best the club can appoint and that is fair enough, but the bottom line is that we may fall further with this unsmiling clown in charge.
Get rid.
Against Bristol Rovers we started brightly, with a couple of early chances, and May hitting the bar when, for one of the only times in the game, he was in his favoured position, in front of the goal.
However, the smart thing to do in that situation would be to change shape and try to rebalance the forward line to better suit May/Tedic/Kanu but we haven’t even tried to do that for even part of a match Instead we’ve probably exacerbated the situation by putting May wide right.
Of even bigger concern is that Appleton has done nothing to improve any of the other significant weaknesses in the team. He has had his first choice back 4 available for a couple of months now, but despite picking a settled defence there has been zero improvement in our shape, organisation, or concentration leading to us repeatedly conceding soft goals that are near carbon copies of each other. Not to mention that we also still look like conceding from every set piece and offer next to no threat from them at the other end of the pitch.
We looked a really poorly coached side under Holden with players looking like they didn’t know their role, no pattern to our play, and set pieces a shambles. It should have been easy for a competent coach to correct some of those very basic issues and improve us.
There was an initial bounce under Appleton but it hasn’t lasted and all the old problems, and maybe more, have resurface and maybe even got worse.. That speaks very poorly of the players, of course, but it also suggests that Appleton is, as most of us in thought at the time of his appointment, not the man to take us forwards longer term.
I’m not sure what it would say about the SMT were they to sack him now, but I am increasingly of the opinion it might better to cut our losses, swallow any pride involved, and let him go now.
It’s another thing that made Curbs successful. He was a pragmatist. When he had the squad to do it, and against equal/weaker opponents, we played good attacking football and scored goals. When he knew his squad was more limited, or we we’re out gunned by our opponents, he set us up right, made us hard to beat, and still got plenty of good results from it. I just haven’t seen that kind of flexibility or tactical thinking from any recent coaches except maybe Bowyer. We need it back, desperately, as well as players with the right attitude and work rate to make it work.
Under him, our team will get worse.
Maybe a GOOD appointment will stop fans from demanding sackings?
Our next appointment could be Shankly, Ferguson and Clough all in one but give him signings like Tedic or Abankwah and we're going nowhere.
I'm not saying that Appleton is the answer, he's very clearly not. But there's no point in replacing him if we're not ALSO addressing the rest of the problems as well.
I don't disrespect him, and he's not alone in struggling to work with limited resources, but if he was binned off, we'd be blessed to find someone who can. Ultimately this is on the owners. Management are accountable to them. Improved recruitment all round is needed.
These owners have a window now to change the narrative. Over to them.
Personally, I fear they will let us go under rather than throw money at the problem.
“Letting it go under” might not be an attractive option either. It’s likely more cost-effective to sell the business on for £1.
im not saying they are transfer window masters but saying "evidence so far" when considering the time both have spent at the club under an open window seems a little crazy to me