Blackwell Back Him or Sack Him

[Fiery Blade]

Whilst most of my posts are anti Blackwell it is apparant that he has some supporters on here.
What is the general view on Mr Blackwell Should we back him or sack him.
The augument that he has been succesful during his second stint at the Lane is counteracted by the question 'What level of success do we want?' and would supporters of Newcastle Utd be happy with finishing third this year and then go missing in the play off final
Vote Now.................................

 

[Linz]

I'd say back him until Christmas. If things still aren't right, then move him on.

I think it's far too early to be talking about sacking managers and I don't always agree that it is the best policy.

Once you get into the cycle of turfing out the manager every couple of years, you don't seem to be able to get out of it.

 

[Revolution]

Back him because:

- If fired, there's a risk we'll appoint someone even worse than Robson
- I don't like some of the things Blackwell does, and I hate 4-5-1, but the results speak for themselves.
- the team is better than the sum of its parts, and he deserves credit for that.
- On a similar theme, I honestly don't think it's easy to get the results we've had out of this squad, which lacks quality everywhere bar defence. We aren't going to give a new man the cash to fundamentally change things, so we are sacking him for nothing.

I might add that I don't think we'll finish in the top 6 this year, but the main reason for that will be player sales, not Blackwell.

 

[Oreyt]

Crack him!

 

[Linz]

Poll added by the way... thought it'd be easier to keep track of

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

You can't sack him while he has steadily improved season on season.

We were getting close to a relegation scrap when he took over and then nearly reached the playoffs after an amazing run.
Last season we finished 3rd in the league, only just missing out on automatic despite our tailsman and top scorer wanting out and leaving us in January.

This year for me its promotion or bust for Blackie.

The board have backed him in the transfer market and if we are in the top 4 in January they should back him again but we must go up this season in order to improve.

 

[Robbie]

Sack him for me.....

Alternatively put someone in charge instead of him and have him as a number 2 again.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Sack him for me.....

Alternatively put someone in charge instead of him and have him as a number 2 again.

Oh aye, I'm sure he'd accept that


For those who want him out, keep in mind the couple of million it would take to pay off his contract.

 

[Foxy]

There is absolutely no chance of him being sacked unless we freefall, which we aren't likely to do.

If we'd have appointed one of the more popular suggestions and yet reached the same conclusion last year, I personally think that most wouldn't even consider the question.

He's improved us in the two seasons he's been here. If he does that again this year, we will be in the Premier League next season.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Took over with the club hovering dangerously close to a relegation place, ended that season almost getting into the play-offs.

Next season, just miss automatic promotion and lose in the play-off final.

With my recruitment responsibilities at work, if I sacked somebody after that sort of improved performance, my directors would be outside my office door with MY P45 quicker than Usain Bolt!

He's earned the right to have a go at getting promotion this season. If it is failing badly by December, by all means review the situation. If at the end of the season we have not been promoted, again review things and maybe opt for a change. But at this point, it would be just plain daft!

 

[designblade]

I'm not entirely convinced that he would be able to do a job IF we were promoted but if we're going to get out of the championship we need some stability

 

[Wilnecote Blade]

Sack him, three matches in?

 

[cooperblade]

Really difficult one because his results have been good. Perhaps they could be a lot better under a different manager?

I don't like him as a person (not that that matters), I worry about his man-management (his treatment of Cotterill appears on the surface to be a disgrace), and I think he is too negative with his tactics.

Interestingly, and surprisingly for me, James Beattie rates him as a manager or at least he's told Richard Cresswell that he does.

Regardless of what any of us think, I'd be amazed if he got sacked this season. We're clearly not in a position financially to be paying up contracts etc and McCabe seems convinced he's got the right man.

 

[Robbie]

Oh aye, I'm sure he'd accept that .

Sometimes things are out of your hands.... someone coming in over the top of him wouldn't be his choice.

For those who want him out, keep in mind the couple of million it would take to pay off his contract.

Couple of million? He is a cheap option for me... we'd be talking a million max I reckon.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Couple of million? He is a cheap option for me... we'd be talking a million max I reckon

he's just signed a 3 year contact? You don't really think he is on less than £350,000 a year do you?

 

[mattbianco1]

Sack him for me.....

Alternatively put someone in charge instead of him and have him as a number 2 again.

Neil Warnock!

 

[Robbie]

he's just signed a 3 year contact? You don't really think he is on less than £350,000 a year do you?

That sounds about right yes./

 

[Foxy]

Perhaps they could be a lot better under a different manager?

Could be a whole lot worse too! There weren't many managers in our league last season that did better than him.

(his treatment of Cotterill appears on the surface to be a disgrace), and I think he is too negative with his tactics.

I'm always confused about this one. He brought Cotts in, he drops him when he performs badly or fails to track back/contribute more than what he wants to do. Cotts whenever I've seen him so far this year is putting more effort into tracking back and working off the ball, so that is obviously being taken on board.

Fair enough you could argue that others have stayed in the team when performing badly, but now we have more choice in terms of wingers there are more options than him.

He's always in and around the squad, so I'm a little unsure as to how he's being treated so badly? Is it because he isn't an automatic choice in the starting line up?

 

[Ollessendro]

I think we shoudl give him until the end of the season at least. If he doesn't get us to the premiership this year then he'll probably resign anyway. He knows the weight of expectation at BDTBL.

I have to agree with Essex and Bob in that what he has done since he took over you cannot fault. His CV of taking us from the relegation to almost play offs in half a season and 3rd and play off final is pretty impressive (on paper). that is enough for him to stay in the job.

That's not to say I don't have my issues with him. His tactics are often dire and hhe rarely has a plan B. Thus said we often grind out results under him. I think the major issue is how far he can take us. Can he take us to the premiership? Possibly. Can he keep us there for season after season. Almost certainly not.

The million dollar question is who would we bring in? I have posed this question to lots of anti Blackwell knockers and never had a convincing response. Maybe I'm opening up a can of worms, but who is out there, available, willing and better than Blackwell??

 

[dingledog]

Back him, for those with short memories please try to recall a Mr Robson, lately of this parish.

 

[DuncDisorderly]

Its too easy to look at someones performance and decide that you dont like this or you dont like that about them and what they do, and I get a bit frustrated when people decide matters of life, death, or employment on that basis. You have to compare his record, and his record is really very good. The stated objective of the club is to be top six in order to have a chance of promotion, and we are indeed achieving top six.

I do wonder how many of you would be in a job at lunchtime today if you applied the same rules to yourselves that you seem to want to apply to Blackwell..?

 

[Jimbo]

Back him, no doubt about it for me.
I know the 'style' of play isn't always nice to watch, but his results speak for themselves. First 1/2 a season he took us from fighting relegation to almost in the playoffs. First full season he took us to the playoff final and almost automatic promotion. For me that's earned him at least another season of support.

 

[Fiery Blade]

You cannot equate jobs in football to jobs on civvy street - in football management you can completely cock up, sacked and be in a better paid job two weeks later.
Whilst I am an internal cog for the company I work for, if my performance slips it does not affect 15-20 thousand people.
Blackwell alongside other football people are in a very priviledged position being very well paid for doing something other people would do for free and subsequently it can be much more volitile than a normal 9-5 job.
I do not get thousands of people coming to watch me work a neither do I earn the vast sums that even the Blades pay per week.
Given that they do what they do, earn what they earn and they recognise that being a professional in football there are some downsides. One of the downsides is being critisised when you do not perform to expectations.
Looking at this site every contributor expects the Blades to be in the promotion hunt again this year and would be gutted if we finshed mid table. For us supporters finishing mid table is failure - we will still be following the blades long after Blackwell has gone - for us its a way of life - thats why we feel as we do!

 

[Slugger]

Seems to me that a lot of people seem to dislike Blackwell because of his personality rather than either (i) his results record or (ii) the style of play they claim he imposes on the team.
Regarding results it would be madness to sack a manager who has brought us from relegation contenders to promotion favorites in 2 seasons.
Regarding style of play it seems to be that "hoofball" may not be all Blackwell's fault. He at times seems as frustrated as anyone when a bout of hoofball is unsuccessful.
I got my first season ticket when Dave Bassett was in charge and despite the style of play he imposed on the team he was universally loved for a long time apparently because of the results and the passion of the players.(Or maybe it was something to do with his personality?).
Ironically the best football I've ever seen at the Lane was during Spackman's time in charge and he never seemed to hit it off with supporters. Why? Maybe that was down to personality also.

In short sacking a manager because he's not the sort of person you'd go for a pint with doesn't seem a good enough reason to me.

 

[Paulus]

What CooperBlade has said. Rationally it makes no sense to even think of sacking him - but being a football fan isn't the most rational behaviour in the world

I and doubtless most of you lot, get so wound up when we see the team doing things we don't fully understand and it looks as though the guy making the decisions must be a bloody fool.

My fundamental frustration with him (and Warnock) before him is that from time to time like the first half on Tuesday or against Doncaster or Swansea last season the Blades end up looking like monkeys against teams with often vastly fewer resources, who play with a style that is easy on the eye whilst we look like a bunch of headless cloggers from the local ale house.

In reality though the style we play is a deliberate choice because Blackwell must believe it is the most effective way of getting results. So it comes down to would I want him to go because of the style of his team despite the obvious progress in terms of results that the team has made since his arrival. At the moment I'll bite the bullet and back him but if this season we end up playing crap football and not getting promoted then I would like to see us get O'Driscoll and tell him to do what he has done with Doncaster on a bigger stage.

 

[DuncDisorderly]

You cannot equate jobs in football to jobs on civvy street - in football management you can completely cock up, sacked and be in a better paid job two weeks later.

You can equate it, but think of him as a Sales Manager. He has a team of people that he has to make perform, and he has a sales target that he has to hit. Frankly, if he hits the target, then he's safe whether anyone likes him, his methods or not. All that matters is the number.

If he fails to hit the target, then it is up to the directors to choose if they are going to give him some lee-way if there are circumstances outside of his control (the market conditions, production issues, competitors, and a hundred and one other things), or whether to fire him for non-performance and get another one.

Not so different...

 

[jacknat]

i think talk of sacking a manager who has improved year on year is ridiculous especially after an unbeaten league start of 3 matches! and so near to the start of a season.

sure everything isn't perfect....but what in life is?

only decision on blackwell i'd make is to stop wearing a training kit at his age

 

[Fiery Blade]

Blackwell Back Him or Sack Him was a tongue in cheek thread as obviously they will not sack him yet! but looking at the replies even the ones that back him have great reservations about the man, his tactics and his ability to do the job.
I find the guy incredibly niaive in his response that supporters are having a go at him, his crass statements, his failure to understand that any problem with SUFC has anything to do with him and the way he feeds bullsh!t through Radio Sheffield regarding the team and players. I believe him to be one dimensional in both his approach and the way he does his job. Unfortunately we are saddled with the man but I firmly believe that if we succeed it will be despite having Blackwell at the helm.

 

[Shirty Blade]

I think your analysis is largely right. I don't like the style of play and the negative approach (4 - 5 - 1) - last season I wondered how on earth we scored goals, yet we did!

However despite this I cannot argue with the results! In his first season Blackwell performed a near miracle. Last season we only just missed out on promotion. I suppose I am dissatisfied because I am labouring under the illusion that things would be a lot better, if only we tried to play the ball around in midfield?

This season Blackwell has tried to address some of the weaknesses in the team, pace, wingers, a goal scorer and creativity in central midfield (shame Wlikinson is injured). If this pays off and we are promoted, how would this be despite having Blackwell at the Helm?

If we signed Kevin Phillips on a season long loan we might be able to do a Birmingham and get promoted playing dour unattractive football whilst nicking the goal via one bit of quality?

Lets see how we go on this season - Blackwell himself seems more confident - I'll back him - I think we will make the playoffs at least, but God help us next season if we are promoted and we continue with last season's brand of slow labourius hoofball!

 

[Gingerblade]

Back him.....

He may make a tool of himself in the media, but he is a dam sight better than Robson, and he does care about the football club

I also dont buy all this rubbish that is constantly thrown down peoples throat regarding playing lovely football. The object of the game is to score more than the team your playing against, and were pretty good at that. Look at donny, and swansea, all we heard last season and this, is how they play a nice passing game, well it didnt get either of them anywhere near the play offs did it?

I like see good football like most people, but more so win, and if that means been direct then i dont mind one bit