Would now have been a good time ... ?

[Elsecar_Blade]

to appoint a manager with a football brain such as Mr Robson?

God no, you're all thinking but hear me out.

We're going nowhere, it's clear as day. By the time Morgan returns to action - if it is serious - we will be out of the race. It is looking more and more likely that United will not be promoted this season.

So ...

With the lack of permanent faces around the club right now and the relative security of a place in this division next season, could now be a good time to bring in the 'footballing' manager? Obviously not Robson, but someone like an O'Driscoll who might need that bit of time to get us on the right track?

The state of the squad means that a new manager could start bringing in players to suit his style. Although Robson had chance to do this, he was left with the main elements of a Neil Warnock squad: hardly suited to what he wanted to do.

The lower expectations that are creeping in could give a new manager time to settle in and gel such a squad. Less pressure. Robson was trying to change our style at a time when we were always going to put him under pressure to deliver results. Now could be different?

I'd give Blackwell chance to get us to 50 points and then make the change as soon as we slip away from the Play Offs. New man in, new ideas, time to start building.

 

[Linz]

But it doesn't guarantee we'll get any different approach to bringing players in i.e. not relying on the loan system.

If we're brassic, then what is paying one manager off and paying to get another one in really going to achieve?

And do you honestly think a new manager would get any more time?

I'm not so sure myself...

 

[keenzy]

But it doesn't guarantee we'll get any different approach to bringing players in i.e. not relying on the loan system.

If we're brassic, then what is paying one manager off and paying to get another one in really going to achieve?

And do you honestly think a new manager would get any more time?

I'm not so sure myself...

Pigs just appointed a new manager and it's picked up. It could work, but always the gamble.

 

[Linz]

Pigs just appointed a new manager and it's picked up. It could work, but always the gamble.

But for how long though?

KB was loved for a few months...

 

[beightonblade]

But for how long though?

KB was loved for a few months...

not by me ..........

 

[Linz]

not by me ..........

Aye, but you're a contrary sod at the best of times

 

[keenzy]

not by me ..........

Nor me......

 

[Linz]

Nor me......

So you weren't happy with the change around in fortunes when he took over in 2008 to the effect that we were going into the last game at Southampton with an outside chance of the play offs?

 

[beightonblade]

So you weren't happy with the change around in fortunes when he took over in 2008 to the effect that we were going into the last game at Southampton with an outside chance of the play offs?

and he bottled it !

 

[keenzy]

So you weren't happy with the change around in fortunes when he took over in 2008 to the effect that we were going into the last game at Southampton with an outside chance of the play offs?

It was decent as a stop gap and for a short time stop. After that he should have gone. Never had faith in him from the start.

 

[Bramley]

But it doesn't guarantee we'll get any different approach to bringing players in i.e. not relying on the loan system.

If we're brassic, then what is paying one manager off and paying to get another one in really going to achieve?

And do you honestly think a new manager would get any more time?

I'm not so sure myself...

People talk about O'Driscoll, but he'd need at least 12 months to turn around the squad and we'd probably have to drop to League One. I can't see him lasting 5 matches before "O'Godhe'scrap" and other witty nom du t'etres being bandied about with gay abandon.

 

[Linz]

and he bottled it !

So we shouldn't even aim for the heavens and miss? We should just spend our lives in the gutter and be pleased with it?

We can't win 'em all. (It'd be nice to win a few though). But a lot of people are making out that we shouldn't even try because we'll fail anyway!

How does that help anything? If they aren't happy now, how will not even pretending to bother satisfy them?

It was decent as a stop gap and for a short time stop. After that he should have gone. Never had faith in him from the start.

So other than results, what can you judge a manager on to properly gauge that you have a "good" one?

 

[Zlatan]

Write this season off, play it out and get rid of Blackwell as soon as the season finishes when we inevitably don't finish in the play-offs.

What do you think to that Kevin? "What do you think Zlatan?". Do us all a favour and piss off.

 

[Latters]

So we shouldn't even aim for the heavens and miss? We should just spend our lives in the gutter and be pleased with it?

We can't win 'em all. (It'd be nice to win a few though). But a lot of people are making out that we shouldn't even try because we'll fail anyway!

How does that help anything? If they aren't happy now, how will not even pretending to bother satisfy them?



So other than results, what can you judge a manager on to properly gauge that you have a "good" one?

That's it! Maybe Blackwell's told the players to aim for the heavens, but with them being footballers and non-too bright, they might have took it literally and now do so with every "lofted pass".

 

[Santos]

People talk about O'Driscoll, but he'd need at least 12 months to turn around the squad and we'd probably have to drop to League One. I can't see him lasting 5 matches before "O'Godhe'scrap" and other witty nom du t'etres being bandied about with gay abandon.

That is a fair point but if we did ever appoint O'Drisscoll and it didn't work out then it is the fans who would be responisble for bringing about such change, although no doubt they'd feel like the victims anyway.

 

[GlosBlade]

Burnley couldn't afford the compensation to get O'Driscoll so there is no chance we would be able to fund it. Think we are stuck with Blackwell until the end of this season when he will walk.

 

[scouseblade]

Can we at least see what happens in the next 3-4 games...if this predicted slump happens then perhaps we can start looking at the end of Mr Blackwell at the Lane. We the doom merchants out when we didnt win for 9 games? Thats nine game with Kilgallon, Morgan and Walker playing in the side! Teams have dips and this is one. If the dip continues then yes its a worry.

Im sure Blackwell's objective given to him by McCabe is play-offs at least. If he fails, then rightly, he will need to go.

Give the new defence a couple of more games. I cannot comment on the footy as I havent seen much but we are a direct team and its not pulsating football at times, but sometimes you have to slog your way out of this division. Can anyone tell me that Hull or Stoke played sinterlating (sp!) football when they got promoted.

 

[keenzy]

So other than results, what can you judge a manager on to properly gauge that you have a "good" one?

Performances, working with the team.. I.E easing in youth players.. ala Wenger...

Just a few to add

 

[Ted Danson]

to appoint a manager with a football brain such as Mr Robson?

If what Robson was serving up was football then Il stick with the big hoof myself. the ball might have been on the deck but it was the most boring uninspiring crap I've ever seen, its all well and good pasing it about but you've actually got to make the passes usefull not just pass along the back 4 for the sake of it. Whether the next manager likes the long ball or football on the deck the only thing I care about is that we're winning

 

[little di]

I didn't like Robson either, especially the way he stood there during the match with his arms folded, not showing any emotion at all. But I do think his intention was to get us playing a different kind of football, a "prettier" style. The trouble was he couldn't communicate what was in his head to the players, they too often looked like no one knew what they were supposed to be doing. He may have a great footballing brain but a manager who can't put his ideas into practice with the players he's got on the pitch is a bit useless.
Just my two pence worth.

 

[Linz]

Performances, working with the team.. I.E easing in youth players.. ala Wenger...

Just a few to add

All of which takes time, unless you're Wenger who can go out and buy ready-made youth players.

Are you saying that Naughton and Walker shouldn't have been brought into the team in the way they were, that they should have been eased in?

Would you also not agree that Warnock was castigated for not using the youth team and academy enough?

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

As for performances as an indicator of a decent manager, are you denying the performances were positive up until the end of the 2008 season which also saw us getting results?

Again, how many positive performances are needed before you make your mind up that you have a "good manager"?

I rather think that some people have got into their heads who the "good managers" and "bad managers" are without seeing them in any kind of context. Just like some people see players as "good players" or "bad players" without allowing for them having ups and downs.

As it stands, Kevin Blackwell is sixth in the table. Sean O'Driscoll is fifteenth. Yet Kevin Blackwell is "bad manager" and Sean O'Driscoll is "good manager".

O'Driscoll might come in and we'd play the sexiest football in the world. But what if his a Sheffield United team in his image became the same as his Doncaster team? Widely received as playing positive football but not actually achieving anything. How long would patience last if we spent a season round the top of the bottom half of the table?

We'd then get people saying sod the football, we want the results and calling for a Warnockesqe character to come back.

What I'm trying to say is, some people will never be happy.

 

[HoodedClaw]

All of which takes time, unless you're Wenger who can go out and buy ready-made youth players.

Are you saying that Naughton and Walker shouldn't have been brought into the team in the way they were, that they should have been eased in?

Would you also not agree that Warnock was castigated for not using the youth team and academy enough?

Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

As for performances as an indicator of a decent manager, are you denying the performances were positive up until the end of the 2008 season which also saw us getting results?

Again, how many positive performances are needed before you make your mind up that you have a "good manager"?

I rather think that some people have got into their heads who the "good managers" and "bad managers" are without seeing them in any kind of context. Just like some people see players as "good players" or "bad players" without allowing for them having ups and downs.

As it stands, Kevin Blackwell is sixth in the table. Sean O'Driscoll is fifteenth. Yet Kevin Blackwell is "bad manager" and Sean O'Driscoll is "good manager".

O'Driscoll might come in and we'd play the sexiest football in the world. But what if his a Sheffield United team in his image became the same as his Doncaster team? Widely received as playing positive football but not actually achieving anything. How long would patience last if we spent a season round the top of the bottom half of the table?

We'd then get people saying sod the football, we want the results and calling for a Warnockesqe character to come back.

What I'm trying to say is, some people will never be happy.

Where do you think the respective teams would be if Blackwell and O'Driscoll were manager of the other team??

Personally dont think Donnie would be in the CCC if Blackwell was in charge, so on that basis O'Driscoll is a much better manager than Blackwell is, dont you think?

Totally agree that some will never be happy though.

 

[bladesadviser]

I have always felt that the entertaining football is a bit of a strange one. I don't believe there are any Blades who would not take scrappy 1-0 wins for the rest of the season as that would mean we would be promoted. Does anyone want to be entertained at the cost of winning? Also how many teams in our division really entertain and win? A mate of mine is a season ticket holder at Newcastle and he says all the toon are doing are grinding out results yet clearly he is happy with that as they are top. I suppose Forest are doing both at the moment and West Brom have had their moments but at the end of the day is it not just about getting points? (genuine question!!)

 

[Grecian2000]

If it were all about winning, does that mean you would prefer us to be in the bottom tier of the league?
We would win more games than if we were in the Premier League.

 

[bladesadviser]

Surely its trying to finish as high up whatever league you are in as possible. My point is that winning leagues does not happen by entertaining the most but by accumulating the most points. In a perfect world we would all like both but rarely at our (2nd tier) level does this happen

 

[Zlatan]

As it stands, Kevin Blackwell is sixth in the table. Sean O'Driscoll is fifteenth. Yet Kevin Blackwell is "bad manager" and Sean O'Driscoll is "good manager".

O'Driscoll has established Donny as a solid Championship side on a shoestring, playing good football in the process. Blackwell on the other hand has just about got us into a play-off spot after spending millions, serving up a diabolical brand of football in the process.

Given the size difference between the two clubs, I know who I think is the better manager.

 

[keenzy]

All of which takes time, unless you're Wenger who can go out and buy ready-made youth players.

But in fact they are not ready made youth players. They show potential and Wenger brings them through. Scouts find them, manager tells them how to play.

Are you saying that Naughton and Walker shouldn't have been brought into the team in the way they were, that they should have been eased in?

Can you point our where i said that they shouldn't have been brought into the team as they were?? We should be easing in some of the other plays, what happened to the full backs we had and a few of the midfields? They never get a look in despite all the injuries. Naughton and walker were "Ready-Made" by the time Blackwell got them at the right age.

Would you also not agree that Warnock was castigated for not using the youth team and academy enough?

He was, he brought through the likes of jags monty and tonge. and then that was about it.

As for performances as an indicator of a decent manager, are you denying the performances were positive up until the end of the 2008 season which also saw us getting results?

They were, but he inherited a good side from Robson. A side with an ex England international banging goals in. With a good defence. Now we are all over the place with "His Squad"

Again, how many positive performances are needed before you make your mind up that you have a "good manager"?

A good few will do. Hell even a match at the minute. Not 10-15 minute spells here and there. How many bad performances till he's deceived a bad manager?

I rather think that some people have got into their heads who the "good managers" and "bad managers" are without seeing them in any kind of context. Just like some people see players as "good players" or "bad players" without allowing for them having ups and downs.

What sort of Context are we talking? He's a good manager because we are 6th and he has all of his coaching badges? Or that he's a crap manager for building such a poor squad, sits around looking clueless at times on the side line, not making subs and ignoring the first rule of managing... Don't change a winning team.

As it stands, Kevin Blackwell is sixth in the table. Sean O'Driscoll is fifteenth. Yet Kevin Blackwell is "bad manager" and Sean O'Driscoll is "good manager".

Kevin Blackwell has had a much bigger budget than O'Driscoll.

We'd then get people saying sod the football, we want the results and calling for a Warnockesqe character to come back.

How do you know this? Another manager that comes in could have us playing football or at least something attacking down the line, passing and moving into space and we could win games and go up and stay up. It could go the other way also.

 

[keenzy]

Surely its trying to finish as high up whatever league you are in as possible. My point is that winning leagues does not happen by entertaining the most but by accumulating the most points. In a perfect world we would all like both but rarely at our (2nd tier) level does this happen

Watford out passed us at times the other night. Yes WATFORD. It does happen at our level. WBA Newcastle have all played good football at times. I could go on....