CONFIRMED Clough Sacked

[super_pig]

This is £500k that would have been better spent elsewhere

on more midget crocked Derby cast offs presumably??

 

[Revolution]

We cannot possibly offer anyone more than a 12 month contract now. The board have made it very clear, you get one chance at promotion and if you don't achieve it, you're out.


What is the incentive for any Sheffield United manager to now try and build for the future? You spot a Che Adams but what's the point in signing him? You need short-term, guaranteed 1 season fixes. No point worrying about next season, you won't be here unless you get promotion in this season.

But isn't the short term game the game you must play at this level?

Many players are on one year deals and there is massive turnover.

We have repeatedly shown we won't build a team as we will let other clubs pick off our best under contract players.

I'm not saying the sacking is right, but plodding along like Derby have done a division above for 2 or 3 more years may well lead to falling gates, and less money, and worse players, and so on.

We need someone to build a team out of the hundreds of spare players available in the close season. It can be done. Steve Cotterill just did it.

 

[sitwell]

We cannot possibly offer anyone more than a 12 month contract now. The board have made it very clear, you get one chance at promotion and if you don't achieve it, you're out.


What is the incentive for any Sheffield United manager to now try and build for the future? You spot a Che Adams but what's the point in signing him? You need short-term, guaranteed 1 season fixes. No point worrying about next season, you won't be here unless you get promotion in this season.


Nearly all of our current problems stem from an overly short-term approach but we've done it again.


Also, we've exacerbated the problems we've created ourselves by getting the timing horribly wrong yet again - why wait 2 weeks? How can we end up behind Swindon in terms of planning?


When you piss off the sensible majority of fans (e.g. the 66ish% who wanted Clough to stay) then you're on very shaky ground as a football club.


Terrible decision and very little chance of making a good appointment to put it right. The next manager market on Sky is a list of massive gambles (Warburton, Deane), absolute disasters (Parkinson, Ferguson) and never going to happen in a million years (joint 6th favourite is Allardyce!).

Adams ,Brayford, Done ,Basham ,Freeman, Coutts ,Davies etc ,where does this leave them and don't forget the improvement of Howard ,Flynn and Murphy under Clough and the growing experience of Harris ,McNulty and Scougall. Terrible decision will knock us back at least another 12 months , cost us a fortune and long term stability while players gel into an experienced team. Its taken over 18 months to get this team together and we are only 2 or 3 players from being a decent outfit. The worst decision since letting Warnock go in my opinion (apart from not accepting Blackwells resignation)

 

[cooperblade]

But isn't the short term game the game you must play at this level?

It's not worked for us so far.

 

[Revolution]

It's not worked for us so far.

No, but Clough was not playing it.

 

[riselikeasalmon]

The board must think someone else has a better chance of getting us out of this league next season, I think that is a massive gamble as we weren't far away, it was Clough's team and despite people's views of how stubborn he is he is astute enough to know where the team fell short last year even if he doesn't admit it to a TV interviewer.

Nobody we bring in can guarantee promotion.

 

[SwissBlade]

What about SwissBlade, you not up for applying?

I've worked for some shocking employers in my time but don't think even they come close to United...

Besides, they couldn't afford me

 

[Blade56]

I think some are being a bit disingenuous to the board.

There were undoubtably issues like Butler, sparky, Collins et al and the lack of attacking and defending options for most of his rein. It looks like the board were set to continue but set more stringent KPI's and transfer strategies that NC didn't agree with.

If they were not happy he is the right man to take the club forward (and the boring negative match day product suggests he wasn't) they did what they thought was best for SUFC.

As for a new manager I feel sorry for the person having to pick and secure the new man cause they are on a hiding to nothing. We can easily throw up suggestions that could be to expensive, unavailable, not proven etc in the knowledge our decisions and choices will never be put to a very expensive test.

Cloughs gone and the fans need to rally around the board now and hope they get it right cause it's so easy to get it wrong.

 

[Blade56]

Its taken over 18 months to get this team together and we are only 2 or 3 players from being a decent outfit.

The good thing is we are as you say still only 2/3 players short of a decent outfit. Surely the new chosen one can work with that if he has the funds.

 

[Revolution]

Adams ,Brayford, Done ,Basham ,Freeman, Coutts ,Davies etc ,where does this leave them and don't forget the improvement of Howard ,Flynn and Murphy under Clough and the growing experience of Harris ,McNulty and Scougall. Terrible decision will knock us back at least another 12 months , cost us a fortune and long term stability while players gel into an experienced team. Its taken over 18 months to get this team together and we are only 2 or 3 players from being a decent outfit. The worst decision since letting Warnock go in my opinion (apart from not accepting Blackwells resignation)

I agree we are 2 or 3 players from being a decent outfit. Well, 4 or 5 players maybe.

However, would Clough have signed those players? We are all amateurs, but it was screamingly obvious to everyone on this board and every Blade I spoke to at the start of the season that our midfield was too puny and that we needed proper centre halves. Nothing was done about the latter situation, and Coutts is all that's been done about the former.

I would not have pulled the trigger myself without someone being ready to come in (that may be something the board will regret) but if they make a half decent pick for once someone can take this team on and take it up with a few decent signings. Plus there is an argument that Clough is simply not attack minded enough to get promotion - do his teams ever score many goals? We haven't.

 

[Revolution]

Adams ,Brayford, Done ,Basham ,Freeman, Coutts ,Davies etc ,where does this leave them

To answer this:

Adams - hopefully with a manager who will pick him and let him attack
Brayford - on the sidelines for a long time, sadly, and the sacking will not change that
Done - see Adams
Basham - hopefully with a manager who will let him play one position and stick with it
Freeman - he'll get game time with Brayford out
Coutts - probably at Clough's next club, and I'll live with that
Davies - not our player, not our problem

A new manager could be good for a number of our players.

 

[sitwell]

The good thing is we are as you say still only 2/3 players short of a decent outfit. Surely the new chosen one can work with that if he has the funds.

Most managers need to stamp their way on matters ,apart from short termers like Grayson who will probably get us up but no long term strategy. It wont be a quick fix in my opinion especially if we go for a big name.

 

[Davie Blade]

I actually agree with this. And the whole 'well the new manager needs someone to tell him about the players' stuff is twaddle too. If (perhaps a big if) we appoint a proper football manager, I'd prefer them not to need the training wheels of Chris Morgan to tell them how to do their job and assess the squad.

So all managers walk into a new company and know everything there is to know without even asking anybody,
Fortunately our board show that they have more more managerial nous than some on here.

 

[jt64]

I See Derby have sacked McClaren I hope we dont get another Derby reject

I'd take McClaren if he wanted it very, very quickly

 

[Bladesman]

I'd take McClaren if he wanted it very, very quickly

Wanted what? An umbrella?

 

[super_pig]

As for a new manager I feel sorry for the person having to pick and secure the new man cause they are on a hiding to nothing.

that's not true though.. if we play decent football and give 100 percent every game then it isn't the same.. the fans will stomach it for longer if you look like you are having a go and seem to have a plan

 

[OllyBlade]

So all managers walk into a new company and know everything there is to know without even asking anybody,
Fortunately our board show that they have more more managerial nous than some on here.

They will run their own training sessions, look at past footage of our games, and they could of course talk to the players themselves. When Clough came in, it was the middle of the season. It absolutely made sense to keep Morgan in at that time, as he'd got the team winning again as caretaker manager and he could help Clough get straight to work. The new manager will have a full pre-season, and will absolutely not need Morgan to 'show him about the place'.

 

[Blade56]

that's not true though.. if we play decent football and give 100 percent every game then it isn't the same.. the fans will stomach it for longer if you look like you are having a go and seem to have a plan

Agree, I would have been happy to keep NC if I'd been entertained with attacking hard fought games and a defence.

But my point was its almost impossible for any CEO or chairman to make the right decision from such a low position. And it will get hard as the PL parachute payments start falling as low as L1 over the next few years.

Tbh sp I couldn't decide who to pick and I'm glad it's not my responsibility. Who is picked will get my full backing unless they fail, then in true Bladey Blade tradition they will be stood against the wall of consequence.

 

[Worksop II]

It absolutely made sense to keep Morgan in at that time, as he'd got the team winning again as caretaker manager and he could help Clough get straight to work.

Maybe so, and maybe its where Nigel got the idea from that Yeovil away was a tough gig

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I think some are being a bit disingenuous to the board.

There were undoubtably issues like Butler, sparky, Collins et al and the lack of attacking and defending options for most of his rein. It looks like the board were set to continue but set more stringent KPI's and transfer strategies that NC didn't agree with.

If they were not happy he is the right man to take the club forward (and the boring negative match day product suggests he wasn't) they did what they thought was best for SUFC.

As for a new manager I feel sorry for the person having to pick and secure the new man cause they are on a hiding to nothing. We can easily throw up suggestions that could be to expensive, unavailable, not proven etc in the knowledge our decisions and choices will never be put to a very expensive test.

Cloughs gone and the fans need to rally around the board now and hope they get it right cause it's so easy to get it wrong.

Oh right, we should all rally around the board now should we?
Just like you (and others) were rallying around them when it looked like they were still backing Clough?

 

[super_pig]

i reckon the board have made the right decision here.. i was all for giving him more time until (ironically.. seeing as i don't rate the guy) i heard about his treatment of Doyle which i thought was disgusting.

 

[Blade56]

Oh right, we should all rally around the board now should we?
Just like you (and others) were rallying around them when it looked like they were still backing Clough?

Never rounded on the board, my gripe was with NC he let me down, the fans down and the board down. It's there job now to try (and it's a hard task) to pick the right man. Better than those who round on other fans with an opinion.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

MMM (Morgan for Manager Movement): Update

Neil Warnock adds his backing, and suggests himself for a Director of Football role:

“I would like them to give it to Chris Morgan. He has been there or thereabouts, he has taken his coaching badges and he knows the situation."

 

[Davie Blade]

we are only 2 or 3 players from being a decent outfit.

A truly mind numbing staggering post.

No centre backs. poor keeper on the decline since his injury and no cover for him, unbalanced midfield squad with no height, and no goal scorer .

I make that the whole spine of the team!
What a job the next guy has to do with this legacy.

 

[Martino]

Don't mind missing promotion, just as long as we give it a right go. If we fail so what so long as we fight and die trying.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

A truly mind numbing staggering post.

No centre backs. poor keeper on the decline since his injury and no cover for him, unbalanced midfield squad with no height, and no goal scorer .

I make that the whole spine of the team!
What a job the next guy has to do with this legacy.

....which is 2/3 players, as Sitters correctly states

 

[Davie Blade]

Clough's final year of his contract will need to be paid off, and that won't be cheap. Also his entire backroom staff bar Morgan will need to be paid off. We'll also need to offer a good salary to the incoming manager and allow him to bring in his team. This isn't going to be cheap for us at all. We could end up paying out a million quid to replace Clough with Parkinson

I doubt if it will be anything like that amount. If as the fansboysof NC think he will walk into another job then we will only be liable for a tiny fraction.

I agree and as I said elsewhere, sacking Clough could be the most stupid mistake this club has ever made.


Sometimes better the Devil you know and you can teach old dogs new tricks. Sadly, we'll never know if he would have learned but I think he was on a learning curve (he'd never managed in Lge 1 before had he?) and no doubt some other club's gain will be our loss.

When you piss off the sensible majority of fans (e.g. the 66ish% who wanted Clough to stay) then you're on very shaky ground as a football club.

I read exactly the same viewspoints from quite a few Derby fans when he got the push there.

Funny thing is NOW there isn't a single fan that would want him back.

So many Rams fans on this thread with many pertinent comments basically , saying we told you so.
http://dcfc-craic.forumotion.net/t17280-clough-sacked-again#284664

 

[Davie Blade]

....which is 2/3 players, as Sitters correctly states

You must have gone to a different school.
CB/s 2
GK 1
Striker 1
Midfield 2,3 or 4.

That's 6 to 8.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

You must have gone to a different school.
CB/s 2
GK 1
Striker 1
Midfield 2,3 or 4.

That's 6 to 8.

Certainly did - the school of quality rather than quantity

1 keeper, 1 central defender, 1 striker = 3 QED

 

[Davie Blade]

Certainly did - the school of quality rather than quantity

1 keeper, 1 central midfielder, 1 striker = 3 QED

2 is 3, well done.
So still no CB's and one midfielder and that sorts out the lack of height issues.
Interesting
DEQ
There'll be asshole Braille version shortly.