Knill gone?

[Sean Thornton]

We barely had a squad until January and our small squad was run into the ground long before the transfer window opened. Remember the key injuries to Souttar, Arblaster, Moore and Vini?I suppose they were myths too. There wasn't many predicting an automatic challenge on here much as they like to rewrite history. The threads still exist.

Our form didn't fall off a cliff all season . We had a dip near the end but falling off a cliff is a ridiculous over exaggeration.

Don't tell me we should be challenging for automatic next season

“Our form didn't fall off a cliff all season”

Who said that? My money is on no one. You accuse others of rewriting history and then make things up.

We also differ on the meaning of dip when discussing post January that season. It was shocking.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

No it wasn’t. We had the 2nd biggest budget in the league. We spent a fortune in January to back the manager and our form fell off a cliff.

Ignoring the first five games we were barely above relegation fight last season and if anything performances got worse as the season went on (again).

The sign of a good manager doing a good job is taking players and getting the best out of them, he hasn’t been able to do that since 2020.

And you’re the one accusing people of re-writing history

Leeds and Burnley’s budgets were far higher than ours.

 

[Pedro Verde]

We barely had a squad until January and our small squad was run into the ground long before the transfer window opened. Remember the key injuries to Souttar, Arblaster, Moore and Vini?I suppose they were myths too. There wasn't many predicting an automatic challenge on here much as they like to rewrite history. The threads still exist.

Our form didn't fall off a cliff all season . We had a dip near the end but falling off a cliff is a ridiculous over exaggeration.

Don't tell me we should be challenging for automatic next season

He didnt replace Souttar that was the biggest mistake he made
He had ample time to do that signed Holding on loan and never played him
That was criminal

 

[nopigfansintown]

“Our form didn't fall off a cliff all season”

Who said that? My money is on no one. You accuse others of rewriting history and then make things up.

We also differ on the meaning of dip when discussing post January that season. It was shocking.

The poster I responded too?! KMC-1889 . He posted "Our form fell off a cliff". Post January in the Play off season was shocking? Huge over exaggeration. You've made things up.

 

[nopigfansintown]

He didnt replace Souttar that was the biggest mistake he made
He had ample time to do that signed Holding on loan and never played him
That was criminal

We could've done better but I don't think it was realistic to replace Souttar or Arblaster with the same quality, do you?

 

[Pedro Verde]

We could've done better but I don't think it was realistic to replace Souttar or Arblaster with the same quality, do you?

I do agree with the quality aspect. You was never going to get a like for like replacement for Souttar
We did need a dominant CB or a very good defensive organiser at the side of AA to bring the best out of him. I think the same applies to Tanganga
A Jake Wright clone as the defensive organiser would be great

 

[Sean Thornton]

The poster I responded too?! KMC-1889 . He posted "Our form fell off a cliff". Post January in the Play off season was shocking? Huge over exaggeration. You've made things up.

You added “all season”, not his words , and finished with a laughing smiley. That’s making things up.

The football was dire. We were grinding out results. We lost three games on the trot to poor sides. We’re losing games at home from 26/12/24. The form was shocking.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I do agree with the quality aspect. You was never going to get a like for like replacement for Souttar
We did need a dominant CB or a very good defensive organiser at the side of AA to bring the best out of him. I think the same applies to Tanganga
A Jake Wright clone as the defensive organiser would be great

An argument in favour of that is the 10 million + we spent on four centre backs in the much easily navigatable summer transfer window (the very next window). They had a much easier opportunity and they didn't do much better (Tanganga, McGuiness, Bindon (loan) Mee (loan) ). I'd buttress the argument by pointing out that there's clear and obvious reasons why well run clubs aren't making half a dozen key signings in January transfer windows. Is the dysfunctional summer widows not signing enough players (bleeding into January) down to the management or due to the takeover and the shit show last summer?! The last decent window we had was the summer window of the play off final season (?) imo anyway. The problem was not bringing in enough players which in hindsight cost us promotion That's not to say we can't do better with the dysfunctional January regardless.

Looking at next season we need a turnover of 10 -15 players which makes successful season incredibly difficult before a ball is kicked. If it isn't largely sorted this season it will impact 18/19 and so on and so forth. That's not down to the football managers and their staff.

 

[john Mathison]

I wonder who leaked this story about Knill. Deafening sound of silence from the club, surely Wilder must have been aware. If CW was not involved, removing his assistant manager is undermining his position. I wonder if the reason for this will ever come into the public domain.

 

[bertieblade]

Wilder praised Knill at a recent awards ceremony and obviously knew he was going then, seemed happy enough about it and may indeed have instigated it, after all Knill was hardly involved last season?

 

[Bladesman]

 

[The Crab]

We could've done better but I don't think it was realistic to replace Souttar or Arblaster with the same quality, do you?

Perhaps not but to sign Holding then never play him? Puzzling really

 

[Keen Blade]

He didnt replace Souttar that was the biggest mistake he made
He had ample time to do that signed Holding on loan and never played him
That was criminal

Just like he never replaced JoC , which relegated us once it was clear that Brewster was bobbins

 

[1973Blade]

For some time I keeping hearing James Alexander Gordon's voice saying 'Alan Knill, Ryan One'. Not that that's relevant to this thread.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

For some time I keeping hearing James Alexander Gordon's voice saying 'Alan Knill, Ryan One'. Not that that's relevant to this thread.

No, but it's easily the best post on this thread with the least amount of wild speculation.

 

[Wards]

I imagine they're expecting a promotion challenge next season

We should 100% be challenging for a top 6/8 spot. Anything else would be an outright failure. Our budget will be as good as anything outside of those relegated last season or with ongoing parachute payments.

 

[Tony Currie]

We should 100% be challenging for a top 6/8 spot. Anything else would be an outright failure. Our budget will be as good as anything outside of those relegated last season or with ongoing parachute payments.

Will it? Have the board decided to spend?

 

[Grappler]

Perhaps not but to sign Holding then never play him? Puzzling really

As I have said a few times on various threads, we should have put Holding on in the final 20 minutes at Wembley, as an extra defender to protect the 1-0 lead. Can't understand why we didn't, as Sunderland were getting closer to scoring at that point.

 

[Cheeky Blade]

Might be a clue here?
Apparently the Americans are all members..

 

[Wards]

Will it? Have the board decided to spend?

Where's the suggestion that they won't? They've already spent a lot of money and no signs that they've pulled the funding.

 

[TJ blade]

As I have said a few times on various threads, we should have put Holding on in the final 20 minutes at Wembley, as an extra defender to protect the 1-0 lead. Can't understand why we didn't, as Sunderland were getting closer to scoring at that point.

Instead, he kept faith with JLT, which cost us!... more worrying is it wouldn't surprise me if he resigned him!!

 

[GeorgeDonis1889]

We also differ on the meaning of dip when discussing post January that season. It was shocking.

We’re losing games at home from 26/12/24. The form was shocking

Our form

You're completely delusional

 

[Shadota]

Our form
View attachment 238336
You're completely delusional

Didn't realise the season ended in March. I guess these were all just friendlies or something:

 

[GeorgeDonis1889]

Didn't realise the season ended in March. I guess these were all just friendlies or something:

Talking specifically about the results from January to those 3 defeats, which you'd know if you read what you were replying to but thanks for your input.

 

[nopigfansintown]

We should 100% be challenging for a top 6/8 spot. Anything else would be an outright failure. Our budget will be as good as anything outside of those relegated last season or with ongoing parachute payments.

Do you think our squad is at that level? I mean the budget is irrelevant if the players are crap and we are lacking depth right?

I see no goalkeeper I can hang my hat on (big question mark on Cooper); no centre backs I rate; one, maybe two forwards I rate - if Campbell comes back to form and fitness (big question mark). Hamer, Brooks and O'Hare are quality players at this level and you'd hope the former gets in shape and can improve. I'm happy enough with the fullback/ wing back areas if we bring in a good back up right footer to deputise for Seriki.

My assessment is dependent on us keeping all the above (unlikely) and lacks around 10-15 players. The only place we have depth is left back presuming McCallum is back. There's a lot of sunk cost in that squad which is now dead money and needs shifting asap. That - already budgeted for expenditure - is a ball and chain not an advantage over the other teams. We are down Jairo already.

 

[Keen Blade]

Will it? Have the board decided to spend?

If I've understood the new rules correctly , what we spend is directly related to income , so there's very little room for manoeuvre.
All the parachutists will have bigger budgets plus Wrexham who have income from other sources.
I reckon we are plumb mid-table with a very much reduced income.
I can't see CoH putting £ in by either share capital or loans -
They must be still reeling from missing their golden chance for a quick flip.

If they had any £ to put in , I believe they could put as much as they want into Dore , but nothing seems to be happening there.

Ps - wages are certainly limited to a fixed % of income - could anyone comment about transfer fees ?
Are they limited in any way ?
Eg : as they were by the "rolling 3yr maximum losses" rules.
Or have those rules gone now ?

Would appreciate any advice from those who've looked deeper into the rules

 

[nopigfansintown]

If I've understood the new rules correctly , what we spend is directly related to income , so there's very little room for manoeuvre.
All the parachutists will have bigger budgets plus Wrexham who have income from other sources.
I reckon we are plumb mid-table with a very much reduced income.
I can't see CoH putting £ in by either share capital or loans -
They must be still reeling from missing their golden chance for a quick flip.

If they had any £ to put in , I believe they could put as much as they want into Dore , but nothing seems to be happening there.

Ps - wages are certainly limited to a fixed % of income - could anyone comment about transfer fees ?
Are they limited in any way ?
Eg : as they were by the "rolling 3yr maximum losses" rules.
Or have those rules gone now ?

Would appreciate any advice from those who've looked deeper into the rules

I have us lower middle table and would snap your hand off for 8th place now if offered.

 

[Shadota]

Talking specifically about the results from January to those 3 defeats, which you'd know if you read what you were replying to but thanks for your input.

Feel free to highlight whom in this thread made the argument of form from January to the Coventry game. All I've read is arguments over our form from/post-January. Considering the last 7 games of that season also fall under that definition, it's pretty disingenuous of you to ignore them to try and reinforce your stance.

 

[Blades1971]

If we sign player's for a fee or loan, they need to play them. If they don't what's the point of signing them?
Too much money wasted like this

 

[Balham]

The poster I responded too?! KMC-1889 . He posted "Our form fell off a cliff". Post January in the Play off season was shocking? Huge over exaggeration. You've made things up.

We limped over the line. I agree that "fell off a cliff" is an exaggeration but the best teams time their run for the line. We were poor (relative to league position and budget) in the final quarter of 2024/25.



Not least because two of those defeats were at Oxford and Plymouth. Those two defeats - and particularly the manner of them and the reaction to them - encapsulated what was wrong with us that season.

No-one is denying that Wilder mk1 (August 2016 to March 2020) was probably our best manager of the modern era. The problem is that the game has moved on while he's stood still and Wilder mk3 is now in danger of tarnishing that legacy.