Heckinbottom- what’s the verdict so far?

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Charlieblade

Charlieblade

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Hecky took over at a very difficult time for the club, and to my mind at least, he has made a decent job of it so far.

He speaks well and tries to keep fans informed without going over the top. Very realistic and pragmatic. He has not blamed anyone for the clubs situation, even when we lost a game, and he was powerless to do much about it

A few have criticized his substitutions, I think that’s to be expected, but he always consults given the time frame.

My only concern is the lack of a defensive coach. He was supported in his decision to appoint Lester (forwards) and McAll (midfield) but we still don’t have an independent voice for the defence?

Can’t fault his choices of those he has brought in, and he wants to take another look at the Palace right back on trial. Is he doing defence coach himself now?
 



Charlieblade said:
Hecky took over at a very difficult time for the club, and to my mind at least, he has made a decent job of it so far.

He speaks well and tries to keep fans informed without going over the top. Very realistic and pragmatic. He has not blamed anyone for the clubs situation, even when we lost a game, and he was powerless to do much about it

A few have criticized his substitutions, I think that’s to be expected, but he always consults given the time frame.

My only concern is the lack of a defensive coach. He was supported in his decision to appoint Lester (forwards) and McAll (midfield) but we still don’t have an independent voice for the defence?

Can’t fault his choices of those he has brought in, and he wants to take another look at the Palace right back on trial. Is he doing defence coach himself now?
Click to expand...
Dime a great great job so far and long may it continue
 
He's doing a good job. Revitalized last season, and was seconds away from making the Play off final. He's spotted the duffers and moved most of them on.

Just wait until all the Negative Nigel's on here wake up, and tell you they know best and could have all done better than him 😂😂😂😂
 
Charlieblade said:
Hecky took over at a very difficult time for the club, and to my mind at least, he has made a decent job of it so far.

He speaks well and tries to keep fans informed without going over the top. Very realistic and pragmatic. He has not blamed anyone for the clubs situation, even when we lost a game, and he was powerless to do much about it

A few have criticized his substitutions, I think that’s to be expected, but he always consults given the time frame.

My only concern is the lack of a defensive coach. He was supported in his decision to appoint Lester (forwards) and McAll (midfield) but we still don’t have an independent voice for the defence?

Can’t fault his choices of those he has brought in, and he wants to take another look at the Palace right back on trial. Is he doing defence coach himself now?
Click to expand...
No idea. Who is he?
 
I’m not entirely it’s fair to be making judgements on a managers ability 6 days out from the season starting after being a kick away from the Play Off Final with only 30 games managed
 
Charlieblade said:
Hecky took over at a very difficult time for the club, and to my mind at least, he has made a decent job of it so far.

He speaks well and tries to keep fans informed without going over the top. Very realistic and pragmatic. He has not blamed anyone for the clubs situation, even when we lost a game, and he was powerless to do much about it

A few have criticized his substitutions, I think that’s to be expected, but he always consults given the time frame.

My only concern is the lack of a defensive coach. He was supported in his decision to appoint Lester (forwards) and McAll (midfield) but we still don’t have an independent voice for the defence?

Can’t fault his choices of those he has brought in, and he wants to take another look at the Palace right back on trial. Is he doing defence coach himself now?
Click to expand...
I said at the outset that we should give him time to show whether he is up to the job and I stick with that. So far he has been very good, but until he has had another window and a full season it is neither possible nor fair to judge how good he is in all respects.
I know that results are key, but if I see the squad improving with results following then I am ok with him. However if we are not pushing for automatic promotion this season or next then I suspect he may have had his chance.
 
Done a good job in my eyes apart from the away form for a period last season,when they decided to “go for it “ it was much improved. Talks sensible,brings average players forward,gone about pre season dealings well,building a good squad and managed to cope without the best striker in the championship (up to now)
 
Charlieblade said:
Hecky took over at a very difficult time for the club, and to my mind at least, he has made a decent job of it so far.

He speaks well and tries to keep fans informed without going over the top. Very realistic and pragmatic. He has not blamed anyone for the clubs situation, even when we lost a game, and he was powerless to do much about it

A few have criticized his substitutions, I think that’s to be expected, but he always consults given the time frame.

My only concern is the lack of a defensive coach. He was supported in his decision to appoint Lester (forwards) and McAll (midfield) but we still don’t have an independent voice for the defence?

Can’t fault his choices of those he has brought in, and he wants to take another look at the Palace right back on trial. Is he doing defence coach himself now?
Click to expand...
He used to be a defender maybe that's why we haven't got a defensive coach
 
Seems to have all of the players on board, steadied what was a sinking ship under Slav, has started to use the young-uns, maybe a tad tactically naïve at times, but even pep has been in the past so I guess that's just how it is...........7.9/10 so far, which on IMDB is a pretty good score
 
I thought he was a terrible appointment as a long term manager. He did brilliantly last year though. Not sure anyone could have done any better. Slightly worried his flaws will become more apparent this season. In game management as people have said seems a bit of an issue. But can't knock him so far.

GLTTL
 
Echo a lot of what others have said. He’s done well to steady the ship but there were some absolute stinkers away from home last year.

Have a feeling we will need to improve on last year in what looks to be a much stronger league than last season. Personally think we were the best of a pretty average bunch of play off chasers last season.
 



I reckon Hecky's impact will be felt a lot more off the pitch than on it.
 
I like him a lot. And I think he really cares and wants to do a great job. However I have found preseason abit weird in who he has picked to start games, I feel he already will know his strongest 11 so I would have focused on that more in the pre season games and not picked 2 quite different teams thrown together. Get your strongest players playing together from the off.
 
Antonb said:
I like him a lot. And I think he really cares and wants to do a great job. However I have found preseason abit weird in who he has picked to start games, I feel he already will know his strongest 11 so I would have focused on that more in the pre season games and not picked 2 quite different teams thrown together. Get your strongest players playing together from the off.
Click to expand...
I think this could point to what I think is or maybe his achilles heel.
I also like what he has done here, and generally how we play, and how he doesn't moan when players are missing through injury. Just picks from what he has available and gets on with it.
I worry though about injuries under his tenure.
Seems to risk players who are on the edge of injuries rather than managing minutes.
Case in point Bill was very over used laset season in the run in, for someone his age until he eventually broke down, which imo did for our promotion challenge.
So maybe pushing the best players too hard resulted in a weaker pool to pick from.
Maybe the new performance guy from Preston will help here?
I think its an issue Hecky has has wherever he has managed.....
He seems to learn though, and we have a large looking squad this year, so maybe we will see more rotation when games are coming thick & fast and fewer out with long term injuries? Hope so!
 
He could do better with his subs and not running the likes of Sharp into the ground needlessly especially when we are ahead in matches.

That said overall he has done well and I do think we would have made the top 2 had he been appointed sooner.
 
vas borbokis said:
I think this could point to what I think is or maybe his achilles heel.
I also like what he has done here, and generally how we play, and how he doesn't moan when players are missing through injury. Just picks from what he has available and gets on with it.
I worry though about injuries under his tenure.
Seems to risk players who are on the edge of injuries rather than managing minutes.
Case in point Bill was very over used laset season in the run in, for someone his age until he eventually broke down, which imo did for our promotion challenge.
So maybe pushing the best players too hard resulted in a weaker pool to pick from.
Maybe the new performance guy from Preston will help here?
I think its an issue Hecky has has wherever he has managed.....
He seems to learn though, and we have a large looking squad this year, so maybe we will see more rotation when games are coming thick & fast and fewer out with long term injuries? Hope so!
Click to expand...
On this issue, I have seen it said on more than one occasion on here that there have been a high number of injuries at all of the clubs Heckingbottom has managed during the periods he's been in charge. Is there any truth in that? Any journalist (or anyone else) looked at this issue?

One thing I note here is that Heckingbottom does not always use 3 subs. This means that more of his starters play longer, which I suppose might be a factor in increased injuries, though that is just speculation on my part.
 
Charlieblade said:
Hecky took over at a very difficult time for the club, and to my mind at least, he has made a decent job of it so far.

He speaks well and tries to keep fans informed without going over the top. Very realistic and pragmatic. He has not blamed anyone for the clubs situation, even when we lost a game, and he was powerless to do much about it

A few have criticized his substitutions, I think that’s to be expected, but he always consults given the time frame.

My only concern is the lack of a defensive coach. He was supported in his decision to appoint Lester (forwards) and McAll (midfield) but we still don’t have an independent voice for the defence?

Can’t fault his choices of those he has brought in, and he wants to take another look at the Palace right back on trial. Is he doing defence coach himself now?
Click to expand...
Doing a really good job so far, he will be judged this season, his players, his tactics, discipline, he's running the job - and it's a big job he's taken on.
I like him and the way he conducts himself, He'll be fine, so far he's deserving of any success that comes his way - but we have to be in the top six minimum requirement! at the end of the season.
 
So far, he’s done well. Will he continue to do so? Don’t know, I seem to be finding it harder these days to be objective about the Blades. He’s clearly a good coach but his managerial record is a bit patchy and you can read into it whatever you want. I keep thinking back to Blackwell, who I never rated. I can’t argue that he did well with Robson’s squad when he took over but the more he had to be a manager rather than a coach, the more his shortcomings were revealed, particularly his recruitment. But he was also a prick and I don’t think many players liked him. I don’t think that’s the case with Hecky.

Recruitment wise, so far it looks OK without being spectacular. How much of that is down to him and how much is down to finances is speculation.
I’ve also, in my mind, compared him with Wilson. Decent bloke, brought in a couple of ex Blades to assist him. I’d say though that Hecky seems to deal with adversity a little better. I always felt with Wilson, we were fine if we could put our best first team out but if someone was missing, we suffered. I think back to losing to the pigs when he played Monty and Doyle in midfield cause McDonald was out and, of course, his inability to pick the players up after Evans got sent down. I also get the impression he was a bit of a yes man and wasn’t forceful enough with the McCabes on certain sales and incomings. Maybe he tried and was told that’s how it had to be.
Hecky seemed to deal with our injury crisis quite well, which is encouraging.

So, I can’t criticise too much, it’s just that the cynic in me makes me think we’ll just fall short again, but I’m jaded.
 
Has educated himself and continues to do so. He's open to new ideas and seeking out the details that can make the small percentage improvements and has built a strong team around him. Everyone, players and staff, are very clear on what he wants from them, they all make a point of saying that. Players clearly like him and I know for a fact that the youngsters idolise him and would run through brick walls for him. Plans for the long term rather than just for today. Much sooner have him than a despotic dinosaur type who only knows one way and thinks that shouting and bullying can lead to long term success. One thing is for certain, he will leave the club in a better state when he eventually leaves.
 
Revolution said:
On this issue, I have seen it said on more than one occasion on here that there have been a high number of injuries at all of the clubs Heckingbottom has managed during the periods he's been in charge. Is there any truth in that? Any journalist (or anyone else) looked at this issue?

One thing I note here is that Heckingbottom does not always use 3 subs. This means that more of his starters play longer, which I suppose might be a factor in increased injuries, though that is just speculation on my part.
Click to expand...
...and now he has 5 subs to use !!
 



I've been very pleasantly surprised by Hecky.
It appeared that he was the cheap option, but bringing in McCall and Lester into his team was a great move and they way he got us back to playing competitively is a big plus.
Looking forward to this season, as I do every season.... with blind optimism!
 
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