Why Adkins needs 4 years

[BushBlade]

He won't get 4 years, no manager gets 4 years unless we are talking prison sentences.

2-3 years, yes I think he deserves that time to build his squad.

Or we sack him now and get someone else in who if they don't hit the ground running will be sacked at the end of next season and keep repeating that process til we wing promotion.

Or get relegated.

 

[Bladesman]

Or get relegated.

Well if we think the likes of Holloway are the answer then yeah probably relegation.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Ok you don't like humour. Serious questions:

Where do you think we should be in after 4 years of Adkins at the helm?

What would be a reasonable return from him on our substantial investment in him?

Never got the Office, but I do like Extras.

Short answer next season we need to show obvious progress, but what that means exactly I don't know.

As posted elsewhere we could've won away at Rochdale comfortably, Fleetwood, Southend, and hammered Crewe 6-0. We'd be seven points better off and some of us would be in a better mood.

Creating good clear.chances was not a problem in those games, finishing them was.

So what if we're tenth at Christmas but squandering chances?

 

[Small Mendonca]

I hope this is an April Fool's joke.

 

[bornablade]

This season the short term and long term goals have been in conflict.

It's very hard to write off a season from the outset so play-offs would've been a minimum.

The other side of this is what if we're 10th at Christmas next season but playing good football, creating chances, and not putting them away.

The number of very good chances we've created and missed recently is getting ridiculous.

As it stands we're not a million miles from wins at Rochdale, Fleetwood(?), Southend, and a 4-0 at half time 6-0 at full time hammering of Crewe.

Any target too specific and you might shoot yourself in the foot but no targets at all and you can get away with murder.

Short answer: Don't know

I think it was Bassett and his team used to sit down when the fixtures had been produced (mid June) and realistically agree the number of points they should be getting from each game.

Next season the overall objective should be Automatic Promotion. Have agreement from boardroom down to players how many points need to be won in order to achieve this and then work back through the fixtures. From this they can set interim goals / objectives of how many points should be on the board by end September, October etc.

IMO if the interim objectives have not been achieved by December 2016 then Adkins and his staff need to leave. Simple as. A new manager in December can use the JTW 2017 and push on with achieving the overall aim of Automatic. Not sure when Barnsley's run started but it shows that a team can be languishing early part of the year and still get promotion with a good second half to the season.

Management By Objectives (MBO) - sure Adkins is aware of this as he seems to quote all the management jargon.

To be honest this should have been built into his initial contract.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I think it was Bassett and his team used to sit down when the fixtures had been produced (mid June) and realistically agree the number of points they should be getting from each game.

Next season the overall objective should be Automatic Promotion. Have agreement from boardroom down to players how many points need to be won in order to achieve this and then work back through the fixtures. From this they can set interim goals / objectives of how many points should be on the board by end September, October etc.

IMO if the interim objectives have not been achieved by December 2016 then Adkins and his staff need to leave. Simple as. A new manager in December can use the JTW 2017 and push on with achieving the overall aim of Automatic. Not sure when Barnsley's run started but it shows that a team can be languishing early part of the year and still get promotion with a good second half to the season.

Management By Objectives (MBO) - sure Adkins is aware of this as he seems to quote all the management jargon.

To be honest this should have been built into his initial contract.

Can't agree with any statement that claims it's simple.

What if we're creating chances but not finishing them: in recent weeks sometimes the only thing he could've done more is come on the pitch and put the ball in the net himself.

What if key players leave?

What if loan targets aren't released?

What if signings we all like either don't perform, or get injured.

What if the youngsters have walked up the pathway into the first team and are playing wonderfully one week/minute and dreadfully the next but are evidently improving?

What if a club with more money eg Wigan this season are able to attract the players we want bc they've got parachute money? Maybe Adkins would've liked Wildschut but Wigan got him. Will we face similar problems next season?

Play-offs with a young team would be reasonable next season.

 

[BushBlade]

I think it was Bassett and his team used to sit down when the fixtures had been produced (mid June) and realistically agree the number of points they should be getting from each game.

Next season the overall objective should be Automatic Promotion. Have agreement from boardroom down to players how many points need to be won in order to achieve this and then work back through the fixtures. From this they can set interim goals / objectives of how many points should be on the board by end September, October etc.

IMO if the interim objectives have not been achieved by December 2016 then Adkins and his staff need to leave. Simple as. A new manager in December can use the JTW 2017 and push on with achieving the overall aim of Automatic. Not sure when Barnsley's run started but it shows that a team can be languishing early part of the year and still get promotion with a good second half to the season.

Management By Objectives (MBO) - sure Adkins is aware of this as he seems to quote all the management jargon.

To be honest this should have been built into his initial contract.

Every manager I've read about or heard interviewed has a similar process of setting targets. I'd be stunned if NA doesn't do this.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

To pay off his mortgage and put his kids through college presumably?

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Play-offs with a young team would be reasonable next season.

I tend to agree. It's all about whether Adkins has got it in him to fashion that young team.

 

[Isar]

To me this thread is a reflection of how low some of our fans expectations are, this is League 1, and a poor one at that and he f@cked it up. How anyone could trust him to do it all again is beyond me.

 

[bornablade]

Can't agree with any statement that claims it's simple.

What if we're creating chances but not finishing them: in recent weeks sometimes the only thing he could've done more is come on the pitch and put the ball in the net himself.

What if key players leave?

What if loan targets aren't released?

What if signings we all like either don't perform, or get injured.

What if the youngsters have walked up the pathway into the first team and are playing wonderfully one week/minute and dreadfully the next but are evidently improving?

What if a club with more money eg Wigan this season are able to attract the players we want bc they've got parachute money? Maybe Adkins would've liked Wildschut but Wigan got him. Will we face similar problems next season?

Play-offs with a young team would be reasonable next season.

The only reference I made to 'simple' is the fact if objectives are not achieved then the management have to suffer the consequences.

This is how businesses are run. Adkins and his team are well paid and they need to accept their responsibilities. Your reasons (excuses) are somewhat pathetic. If a business fails the person responsible cannot run to the bank and squeal about a member of staff performing well one day and then not so well the next day.

I'm not sure that you can accept any criticism of Adkins and immediately throwing up any defence of the guy at any opportunity. You think play offs would be reasonable. I totally disagree.

 

[west_yorks_blade]

Never got the Office, but I do like Extras.

Short answer next season we need to show obvious progress, but what that means exactly I don't know.

As posted elsewhere we could've won away at Rochdale comfortably, Fleetwood, Southend, and hammered Crewe 6-0. We'd be seven points better off and some of us would be in a better mood.

Creating good clear.chances was not a problem in those games, finishing them was.

So what if we're tenth at Christmas but squandering chances?

Well thanks for the reply but that really is very woolly.

Surely we need to know what success looks like before plucking figures like 4 years out of the air ( I know it wasn't you).

For me, IF he stayed he would HAVE to get us up next season, survive the following season in the championship and then kick on in the 3rd season for a top half finish, followed in the 4th season by vying for a premiership play off place.

 

[bornablade]

Every manager I've read about or heard interviewed has a similar process of setting targets. I'd be stunned if NA doesn't do this.

Every manager probably does carry out this process but I wonder how many agree with the rest of the club (board down to players) that these are our objectives and we are going to stick with them.

I would imagine that it's all done with a 'bit of fun in mind and let's all continue to use the old cliche 'we'll take every game at a time''.

 

[Isar]

It we cut Adkins lose where we do go from there?

The Championship.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

I'm not sure that you can accept any criticism of Adkins and immediately throwing up any defence of the guy at any opportunity.

Wrong.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Well thanks for the reply but that really is very woolly.

Surely we need to know what success looks like before plucking figures like 4 years out of the air ( I know it wasn't you).

For me, IF he stayed he would HAVE to get us up next season, survive the following season in the championship and then kick on in the 3rd season for a top half finish, followed in the 4th season by vying for a premiership play off place.

It's woolly because the situation is woolly.

If your target is autos what if we finish third? Sack the manager? You can extend this to any "simple" target.

There are all sorts of variable beyond your control.

So, say, we are creating chances but not finishing like we have done all season (and pre-season) and we are tenth at Christmas - do you sack Adkins then? What if we're ninth? Fifth? Third? What's the cut off in this black-and-white world?

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

The only reference I made to 'simple' is the fact if objectives are not achieved then the management have to suffer the consequences.

This is how businesses are run. Adkins and his team are well paid and they need to accept their responsibilities. Your reasons (excuses) are somewhat pathetic. If a business fails the person responsible cannot run to the bank and squeal about a member of staff performing well one day and then not so well the next day.

I'm not sure that you can accept any criticism of Adkins and immediately throwing up any defence of the guy at any opportunity. You think play offs would be reasonable. I totally disagree.

So we're not in the play-off spots at Christmas. A few squealed questions:

1. What if we're creating chances but not finishing them?
2. What if key players have left and not been replaced?
3. What if key players are injured - eg Billy breaks a leg in October?
4. What if loan targets aren't released?
5. What if signings we all like either don't perform, or get injured?
6. What if the youngsters have walked up the pathway into the first team and are playing wonderfully one week/minute and dreadfully the next, but are evidently improving. Reed leaves a man unmarked for an equaliser and then five minutes later creates the winner?
7. What if Charlton (say) are relegated but can sign offer more money and sign (say) Payne from Southend?
8. What if we're third by one point - with a game in hand?

Are all these pathetic excuses? Should Adkins be sacked in any/all of these circumstances?

Play-offs with a young team would be reasonable next season.

 

[blade too long]

Why Adkins needs 4 years

surely he should only get a suspended sentence for us finishing mid table

 

[BeatleBlade]

Personally, if I was McCabe I'd try and plow as much money in next year as possible to get us out of this mess. In the end it will save him money because we'll have higher attendances and bring us closer to the promised land of the Premier League too. Adkins has a clean slate for a squad with so many players being out of contract and it's the perfect time to rebuild. Give him enough money to give us a budget for the top 2 in the league and I firmly believe he'll do the rest. He's done it before and he can do it again.

 

[bornablade]

So we're not in the play-off spots at Christmas. A few squealed questions:

1. What if we're creating chances but not finishing them?
2. What if key players have left and not been replaced?
3. What if key players are injured - eg Billy breaks a leg in October?
4. What if loan targets aren't released?
5. What if signings we all like either don't perform, or get injured?
6. What if the youngsters have walked up the pathway into the first team and are playing wonderfully one week/minute and dreadfully the next, but are evidently improving. Reed leaves a man unmarked for an equaliser and then five minutes later creates the winner?
7. What if Charlton (say) are relegated but can sign offer more money and sign (say) Payne from Southend?
8. What if we're third by one point - with a game in hand?

Are all these pathetic excuses? Should Adkins be sacked in any/all of these circumstances?

Play-offs with a young team would be reasonable next season.

All of those questions that you have posed are typical problems / challenges that businesses face every day. It's then you find out how effective your management is when dealing with such occurrences. If 'Billy breaks his leg in October' then the quality of Adkins management skills are tested as we would expect him to find an alternative in order to achieve the overall goal or destination of Automatic Promotion.

Let me give you an example William Henry. Just say you want to see the Blades at Coventry at the end of this month and you have your route planner all worked out. Should you meet problems / challenges on the way such as diversions, traffic jams, road blocks, queuing traffic would you abandon the trip and go back home or would you find an alternative route to get to your destination? I believe you would find an alternative route. Similarly Adkins and his team cannot abandon the overall goal just because they hit a few road blocks on the journey.

Somebody once said 'Find me solutions and not problems'.

Looking at your list of 8 scenarios William Henry it appears you are quite capable of finding problems but more importantly and on the evidence of the past 8 months do you believe Nigel Adkins has the capacity of finding solutions?

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Never got the Office, but I do like Extras.

Short answer next season we need to show obvious progress, but what that means exactly I don't know.

As posted elsewhere we could've won away at Rochdale comfortably, Fleetwood, Southend, and hammered Crewe 6-0. We'd be seven points better off and some of us would be in a better mood.

Creating good clear.chances was not a problem in those games, finishing them was.

So what if we're tenth at Christmas but squandering chances?

If my aunty had a cock she could've been my uncle.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

It's woolly because the situation is woolly.

If your target is autos what if we finish third? Sack the manager? You can extend this to any "simple" target.

There are all sorts of variable beyond your control.

So, say, we are creating chances but not finishing like we have done all season (and pre-season) and we are tenth at Christmas - do you sack Adkins then? What if we're ninth? Fifth? Third? What's the cut off in this black-and-white world?

Not signing two centre halves should have been the cut off, mega fuck up this season at best.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Somebody once said 'Find me solutions and not problems'.

Looking at your list of 8 scenarios William Henry it appears you are quite capable of finding problems but more importantly and on the evidence of the past 8 months do you believe Nigel Adkins has the capacity of finding solutions?

Find me solutions not problems is just fortune cookie philosophy.

The question remains unanswered: We are not in the top two at Christmas (or whatever the target was) - in which of these eight scenarios (and there are probably dozens more) should he be sacked?

Developing the theme: Are there any circumstances which would render the target reasonably unattainable?

Fwiw, Yes I think Adkins and his team are more than capable of meeting the challenges of the job. More accurately they are better suited to meet the challenges than anyone else we could reasonably hope to employ.