I think all signs are that Adkins will stay but only because
a) We have sacked managers every season and it had not worked
b) We cannot afford to sack him
c) We are clinging on to the hope he has some form for getting teams promotion in the past
d) We are hoping he can get some fresh blood in and start again
There are actually as many reasons to sack him:
a) Going to be probably finishing in the worst position we have for 30+ years in the football pyramid
b) Worse in terms of position, performances and results than under Clough
c) No progress as the season has gone on. Repeated excuses in interviews and no clear plan for the short or long term
d) Poor signings other than Sharp and has kept faith with much of rubbish he was left with for way too long
e) Not improved the defence at all - still leaking goals left, right and centre
f) Negative football with no intention to attack teams from the off but worrying too much about other sides
Could go on....
Only reason he stays is because we have sacked managers constantly and he has some form of reputation. I think latter might save him more than the former. If this was say another manager in charge without that record and maybe on a lesser wage/package, I think board would have wielded axe again.
I believe we cannot keep sacking managers BUT Adkins has done absolutely nothing in his time at SUFC to suggest he is going to turn it around in a positive way. I think if the season continues to go away and we lose a lot more games like your rochdales and Burys (Burton v Clough could be a big moment - a heavy defeat could change things) then even the board might roll the dice again.
I am not sure it would work and if people had said I would have preferred Wilder to Adkins a year ago; I would have called them mad but he has proven to do a great job at Northampton and maybe deserves a chance? Every other appointment has gone wrong so if this does so what?!
Maybe less than a year is no time at all but does Adkins deserve time when in that time he has shown nothing really. It has been extremely poor.
A lot of yes's why he should go and maybe the odd no for the wrong reason.
We fans can only see the state of things on the pitch and try to measure progress towards a recognisable system of playing and a culture developing within the playing staff. As you say Deadbat, there's nothing there to see. No doubt by now Adkins will have got the message to the Board about how bad most of the players are and the need for a wholesale clearout. That won't just buy him time, it will buy him loads of time because by nature a total rebuild doesn't happen overnight.
The Board has to judge whether the real Adkins is the one here and at Reading or the one at Southampton and Scunthorpe. Frankly I wouldn't have a clue. This season has been a shambles which was totally unexpected by me for one. I thought we were nailed on for automatic promotion given Adkins' pedigree and I am in shock watching it all pan out.
Chris Wilder is one of my Blades heroes, not for ability though he was a cultured right back, but for commitment and dedication. We once sat near him at Wrexham away, midweek in the League Cup. He had travelled there with his pals when injured.
I'd love to see him manage United successfully and perhaps he could easily cope with the 'rebuild almost from scratch' better than anybody, given his time in the lower leagues.
However, 8 months in the job is no time to judge Adkins unless the vibes are totally against him from within the club. Of course they would be from those on their way out anyway but there are always enough ways to know what sort of presence a manager has within the club.
The expense of paying off another full team of support staff would be heavy and it's nonsense really. Adkins has to be given time to succeed or fail, maybe another 2 years minimum under the circumstances.
As for Chris Wilder, the timing has been 8 months out. No way had Chris made himself a candidate last summer even though he had been a manager for years. I've followed him closely and in his last season at Oxford he was under severe pressure and admitted he was still learning. The move to Northampton came out of the blue and everything has come together for him. He must have done loads right at Oxford too, look at them flying high as well.
It has to be Adkins but I strongly suspect Northampton and Oxford will finish above us next season.
