I'm one of them. The fanbase has been quite divided over NA and I suppose it's still the same now he's been sacked.
NA hasn't done himself many favours throughout the season but you can't get away from that it was always going to be difficult, left with all of Clough's bang average players and given hardly any funds in the transfer windows in just his first season in charge.
I think we should have at least gave him upto the first 3 months of next season or until Xmas to see where we were.
I'm going to give Chris Wilder my full support though, at least he knows about the lower leagues and you would think he'll have some young hungry players in mind. He'll also know what this club is all about and what is expected, he should be familiar at handling the pressure and expectation here however it is his first managerial role at a club of this size.
I will start by saying I was for Adkins appointment when we first signed him, however everything he has done and said has made me lose all faith in him,
1, signed Hammond, then resigned him in January despite knowing how poor he had been
2, told fans that they didn’t know what they were seeing
3, told fans we had always been negative since day one
4, sold/released/loaned out all cover for the Right and Left Back positions meaning when we lost Brayford we HAD to play 3-5-2 as we didn’t have any full backs
5, sold/released/loaned out players who were far better than we had remaining
6, spent money on resigning Hammond (despite desperately needing defenders..STILL from what he was on, we could have signed two decent league 1 defender)
7, Defended Hammond stating he will never openly criticise players… then criticises Adams, Reed and Whiteman for mistakes
8, says he wants a settled team, proceeds to change it more or less every week dropping players who played well for returning “old boys”
9, came out with baffling statements which made it seem he wasn’t watching the game (started well… where we conceded in the first 5 mins) and then constantly referred back to the opening comment when pressed about the rest of the performance
10, stated there had to be a pathway for the youth, (but he is the one picking the side, whether you have 40 players or 16 players… you pick the best.. if that means the youth player dislodging a more established player… so be it.. (look at Long for the ability to do so)
11, stating to the world that the team wasn’t good enough and many wouldn’t be here next season then expecting those players to play their best.
12, failing to see Collins playing was a mistake until it was too late.
13, failing to take players such as Sharp off (despite being dead on their feet)
14, always playing when fit the likes of Sharp/Hammond even when form dictated they should be dropped.
15, telling us all we were “going all out attack from the start” in one game and starting in the exact same manner… pass sideways and forwards and when we did go forward the snails were getting in the box before us.
16, concentrate on getting on 1 player… and failing to have a back-up plan when that player doesn’t materialise
I could go on… but let’s just think of the things that we criticised Clough for… and see how many fit with Adkins…
At least with clough there was seemingly a plan you could see it, it may not have worked… but at least you could see what he was trying.. (1 up front with 2 wingers joining them in the attack) with Adkins I cannot see what the man was trying to do… except bore us to death…. The fact only 1500 (at best) stayed to “clap” them for the end of the season shows it’s not just me (especially as many wasn’t clapping…)
Also If you actually look at the Clough signings (criticised for the number he brought in) he actually NEEDED to bring in many of them as those outgoing were out of contract thus there wasn’t a player for that position (in Cloughs first season we didn’t have a Full Back, and only had Porter (resigning so included in the figures)
The number of players signed by the new manager will be inflated considering how many are out of contract, (I think we currently have 1 CB at the Club in McGahay, 1 Injured RB in Brayford, 1 fit RB Freeman (returning I think) both LB are out of contract (Harris and McEveley) so before he even starts we need 5 players there… 3 CB and 2 LB) either that or Wingbacks and more CB’s
