What's the Prince thinking?

[Woodwardfan]

The prince is a businessman. To date he has invested £8m or more and has taken on half a football club which loses millions a year even if it does well in the cups.

One of his first decisions was to sack the football manager and appoint the new one together with his full coaching team, Chief Scout and MD. That was just over a year ago.

In that year we did unbelievably well in the league last season, got to Wembley in the F.A.Cup and at east the semi-final of the League Cup. To counter that we are not doing well in achieving our main objective of promotion to the Championship, in fact we now have only an outside chance.

What is the prince thinking. If I were him I would be thinking that my manager has succeeded far more than he has failed, that he will learn from his mistakes and at the very least deserves another season even if we don't go up this season. In fact I would not give a thought about sacking him.

Sometimes everything doesn't fall into place as we might hope but next season our quality youngsters will have more "wool on their backs" and there will be few of the older order left. By then we should have a young, hungry and optimistic squad under a manger who has learned a few lessons about the division.

If I had thought of a change I would soon realise how hard it would be to dismantle the "Clough Dynasty" and even harder to find a man big enough to do the job at hand and prepared to join us in League 1.

 

[Bladesway]

The prince is a businessman. To date he has invested £8m or more and has taken on half a football club which loses millions a year even if it does well in the cups.

One of his first decisions was to sack the football manager and appoint the new one together with his full coaching team, Chief Scout and MD. That was just over a year ago.

In that year we did unbelievably well in the league last season, got to Wembley in the F.A.Cup and at east the semi-final of the League Cup. To counter that we are not doing well in achieving our main objective of promotion to the Championship, in fact we now have only an outside chance.

What is the prince thinking. If I were him I would be thinking that my manager has succeeded far more than he has failed, that he will learn from his mistakes and at the very least deserves another season even if we don't go up this season. In fact I would not give a thought about sacking him.

Sometimes everything doesn't fall into place as we might hope but next season our quality youngsters will have more "wool on their backs" and there will be few of the older order left. By then we should have a young, hungry and optimistic squad under a manger who has learned a few lessons about the division.

If I had thought of a change I would soon realise how hard it would be to dismantle the "Clough Dynasty" and even harder to find a man big enough to do the job at hand and prepared to join us in League 1.

Good post. Other considerations would be the law of diminishing returns that sacking managers brings. Would we get someone any good and what sort of a gamble is it to sack and start again. Cost and time implications. Do you bring back Warnock? Would he come? Do we want him?

I would say we have a better than outside chance of finishing in the top 6 but we need that additional quality. There is no doubt Clough needs to be less obstinate and more flexible but I don't think we would get a better man if we sacked him to be fair.

Your right, even if we fail in promotion he should get another season. This is on the assumption we fail trying rather than go out with a whimper, in which case you need to effect a change in the summer.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Good post. Other considerations would be the law of diminishing returns that sacking managers brings. Would we get someone any good and what sort of a gamble is it to sack and start again. Cost and time implications. Do you bring back Warnock? Would he come? Do we want him?

I would say we have a better than outside chance of finishing in the top 6 but we need that additional quality. There is no doubt Clough needs to be less obstinate and more flexible but I don't think we would get a better man if we sacked him to be fair.

Your right, even if we fail in promotion he should get another season. This is on the assumption we fail trying rather than go out with a whimper, in which case you need to effect a change in the summer.

Personally I think we are nailed on to reach the Play-Offs and I also fancy us to win them. At this stage though it has to be said we are outsiders for promotion, hence the odds of 4/1. With a couple of signings what we need is momentum with a settled side in late season.

If we don't make the Play-Offs perhaps the prince will have a decision to make about the manager.

 

[Revolution]

Personally I think we are nailed on to reach the Play-Offs and I also fancy us to win them.

Why?

 

[Rossb123]

Personally I think we are nailed on to reach the Play-Offs and I also fancy us to win them. At this stage though it has to be said we are outsiders for promotion, hence the odds of 4/1. With a couple of signings what we need is momentum with a settled side in late season.

If we don't make the Play-Offs perhaps the prince will have a decision to make about the manager.

If we sign goalscorers that strike fear into the opposition I agree I think we have a chance of winning the playoffs. There are no world beaters in this league, 3rd and 4th is likely to be Mk Dons and Preston who are both very average.

What is the Prince thinking, I guess its we MUST get promoted this season or it is going to cost me a lot of money.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Why?

Strength of squad with new signings to come. Wallace and/or Reed will be main men in midfield surely and Flynn will go from strength to strength at full back. Murphy and Baxter have a lot more to give than we have seen to date this season. The manager will adapt and loosen the shackles.

 

[stringjunior]

The prince is a businessman. To date he has invested £8m or more and has taken on half a football club which loses millions a year even if it does well in the cups.

One of his first decisions was to sack the football manager and appoint the new one together with his full coaching team, Chief Scout and MD. That was just over a year ago.

In that year we did unbelievably well in the league last season, got to Wembley in the F.A.Cup and at east the semi-final of the League Cup. To counter that we are not doing well in achieving our main objective of promotion to the Championship, in fact we now have only an outside chance.

What is the prince thinking. If I were him I would be thinking that my manager has succeeded far more than he has failed, that he will learn from his mistakes and at the very least deserves another season even if we don't go up this season. In fact I would not give a thought about sacking him.

Sometimes everything doesn't fall into place as we might hope but next season our quality youngsters will have more "wool on their backs" and there will be few of the older order left. By then we should have a young, hungry and optimistic squad under a manger who has learned a few lessons about the division.

If I had thought of a change I would soon realise how hard it would be to dismantle the "Clough Dynasty" and even harder to find a man big enough to do the job at hand and prepared to join us in League 1.

Have a Like. Pretty much sums up my feelings about the situation. "Sometimes everything doesn't fall into place as we might hope" is spot on.

 

[HolmesfieldBlade]

If we miss out on a play offs spot clough should be sacked straight away no questions asked ready for a push for automatic the following year.

Anything below a top 6 finish would be an absolute shambles regardless of if we win the cup.

 

[SwissBlade]

If we miss out on a play offs spot clough should be sacked straight away no questions asked ready for a push for automatic the following year.

Anything below a top 6 finish would be an absolute shambles regardless of if we win the cup.

I'm just glad you're not in charge of running the club!

 

[Bladesway]

If we miss out on a play offs spot clough should be sacked straight away no questions asked ready for a push for automatic the following year.

Anything below a top 6 finish would be an absolute shambles regardless of if we win the cup.

Welcome to the madhouse.

 

[Blade56]

1. يا أن الكلاب حصلت على ذيل رقيق
2. أن الإنسان هو بلدي المزدوج

 

[Rossb123]

1. يا أن الكلاب حصلت على ذيل رقيق
2. أن الإنسان هو بلدي المزدوج

Is our promotion bid failing because the prince's weakness is his fluffy tail? Yes I googled it .

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Why?

Why not? - don't see you offering a reason - or perhaps you are just playing devils advocate?

UTB

 

[Revolution]

Why not? - don't see you offering a reason - or perhaps you are just playing devils advocate?

UTB

Why not? 2 reasons:

- our form at present is poor. It may pick up, but if the playoffs were to start tomorrow we would not be favourites.
- we have very few goals in the team.

I think the real reason people think we'll do it is the law of averages, which doesn't actually apply here.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

If we miss out on a play offs spot clough should be sacked straight away no questions asked ready for a push for automatic the following year.

Anything below a top 6 finish would be an absolute shambles regardless of if we win the cup.

And if it doesn't work next year, we sack THAT manager..........and the year after?

Tell you what, stick to being PAYE.

UTB

 

[zablade]

I always think back to what Phipps said when they very first arrived "We have come here to make money, we want to be honest about that from the begining"

I wondered back then how they would "make money" seeing as hardly any clubs in the promised land of the Premier League show a proffit, I could only assume they would try to ensure we got a couple of quick promotions to the Premier and then sell us on to new owners at a whacking great proffit on their outlay.

If that is the plan then it looks light years away at the moment after already shelling out £8m. I would not be surprised if HRH is having second thoughts about the entire project.

 

[Ben_1982]

But the play offs don't start tomorrow so that is quite a silly statement

 

[billyblademan]

I'm just glad you're not in charge of running the club!

OK, winning the cup would obviously be an achievement, and just about enough to keep NC in his job. But you would have to say that failing to reach the playoffs would be a failure.

Jim has said that he has one KPI - promotion. Finishing 7th with the budget and squad we have wouldn't be good enough. If that happened, I can see NC staying, but told if we're not up there in October, he's on his way.

 

[SwissBlade]

Why not? 2 reasons:

- our form at present is poor. It may pick up, but if the playoffs were to start tomorrow we would not be favourites.
- we have very few goals in the team.

I think the real reason people think we'll do it is the law of averages, which doesn't actually apply here.

All very reasonable in terms of form, however we do have goals in the team.... Controversial statement I'll admit, but hear me out.

In recent weeks we've played just Preston that came and gave us a game, they attacked and it was a fairly entertaining game because both sides were going for the win. We don't get that with many league one sides. From what I understand, MK Dons didn't exactly go for it last week. Our worst case scenario.

Over one or two legs, the opposition will have to have a go in order to win. Our mentality of hitting sides on the counter with numbers has been proven to get us goals when a team attacks us. 5 goals v QPR and Preston. Spurs will be interesting as its over two legs, but I can see us playing how we did away at Fulham last season for the first leg, second leg we can go at them like we did v Southampton.

Over two legs against a side from our division there will come a point when the opposition need to attack. The earlier the better for us.

Of course the counter to this is that if we play MK Dons they'll scrape a 1-0 over two legs and we'll be watching the play off final from our living rooms instead of that fucking twat of a national stadium...

 

[SwissBlade]

OK, winning the cup would obviously be an achievement, and just about enough to keep NC in his job. But you would have to say that failing to reach the playoffs would be a failure.

Jim has said that he has one KPI - promotion. Finishing 7th with the budget and squad we have wouldn't be good enough. If that happened, I can see NC staying, but told if we're not up there in October, he's on his way.

Cup semi final is already a huge achievement

 

[billyblademan]

Cup semi final is already a huge achievement

So if we lose the tie, and finish outside the playoffs, what would you be saying to Clough at the post-season sit down in May?

 

[wizadry]

Agree with the sentiments,but come on,if Cloughy did somehow manage to achieve the unthinkable and not get in the playoffs then serious questions have to be asked surely.The flip side is if we get in the playoffs and don't go up atleast he's got the minimum objective done and deserves another crack next season,but we must make the playoffs,that goes without saying and i think we will.This would have been the minimum target from the board imo.

 

[Harry's Game]

The prince is a businessman. To date he has invested £8m or more and has taken on half a football club which loses millions a year even if it does well in the cups.

One of his first decisions was to sack the football manager and appoint the new one together with his full coaching team, Chief Scout and MD. That was just over a year ago.

In that year we did unbelievably well in the league last season, got to Wembley in the F.A.Cup and at east the semi-final of the League Cup. To counter that we are not doing well in achieving our main objective of promotion to the Championship, in fact we now have only an outside chance.

What is the prince thinking. If I were him I would be thinking that my manager has succeeded far more than he has failed, that he will learn from his mistakes and at the very least deserves another season even if we don't go up this season. In fact I would not give a thought about sacking him.

Sometimes everything doesn't fall into place as we might hope but next season our quality youngsters will have more "wool on their backs" and there will be few of the older order left. By then we should have a young, hungry and optimistic squad under a manger who has learned a few lessons about the division.

If I had thought of a change I would soon realise how hard it would be to dismantle the "Clough Dynasty" and even harder to find a man big enough to do the job at hand and prepared to join us in League 1.

" If I were him I would be thinking that my manager has succeeded far more than he has failed, that he will learn from his mistakes and at the very least deserves another season even if we don't go up this season. In fact I would not give a thought about sacking him."

Do you reckon he will still be thinking that once he sees the collapse in season ticket sales and income in the summer?

 

[SwissBlade]

So if we lose the tie, and finish outside the playoffs, what would you be saying to Clough at the post-season sit down in May?

Well done in the League Cup
Did ok in the Shit paint cup
FA Cup ?
Main target in the League must be achieved in 2015/16

So Nigel, What do you need to make this happen and who can we get rid of?

 

[wizadry]

So Nigel, What do you need to make this happen and who can we get rid of?

Right,we need about 16 players in and 16 players out.

Yes but you did that last year Nigel

 

[Bladesway]

" If I were him I would be thinking that my manager has succeeded far more than he has failed, that he will learn from his mistakes and at the very least deserves another season even if we don't go up this season. In fact I would not give a thought about sacking him."

Do you reckon he will still be thinking that once he sees the collapse in season ticket sales and income in the summer?

Christ HG I'm thankful I don't have to spend half an hour in your head. Miserable bastard

 

[SwissBlade]

Right,we need about 16 players in and 16 players out.

Yes but you did that last year Nigel

In all seriousness, it would be small tweaks, perhaps a replacement for Doyle if his legs are struggling etc

 

[DorsetSUFC]

Its the 20th and why haven we signed The Beard??

 

[wizadry]

In all seriousness, it would be small tweaks, perhaps a replacement for Doyle if his legs are struggling etc

We only need tweaks now to accomplish a playoff place,i'm not happy with that but i'll settle for it now.A couple of first teamers in and not squad players,plus a change in how we approach games and we'll look a different side.

 

[Trigger Blade]

If we miss out on a play offs spot clough should be sacked straight away no questions asked ready for a push for automatic the following year.

Anything below a top 6 finish would be an absolute shambles regardless of if we win the cup.

You must have inadvertently deleted the important part of your post where you tell us who will be coming in as manager to guarantee a push for automatic next season?