Michael Appleton

[Scarebus]

Blokes got some fucking guns on him ain't he

 

[BlairBlade]

Our only 3 successful managers in the last 50 years have been Bassett, Warnock and Wilder. I think that they had similar strengths, not in the way they play but in their ability to forge a team greater than the sum of its parts. I also think that none of them would want to work under a DOF.

We're going to have to find a new way to be successful, going forwards.

Successful ?

 

[Rodley]

Report: 45-year-old EFL boss is candidate to become new Sheffield United manager

Premier League strugglers Sheffield United could make a move for Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton as they prepare for Championship football.

www.hitc.com

If he is on the list I'd prefer him over Heckingbottom if it came down to it

I’m not sure preferring him to someone not very good is the best criteria for our new manager.

 

[dc_blade]

I don't understand the objections to Appleton, really. Is it because of the beef with Oxford regarding Wilder and the "tomorrow's man" stuff? Foolish if so.

He's only had two jobs where he's had any sort of chance to build a team and he's succeeded both times.

 

[Bill puntin]

Successful ?

John Harris ?

 

[Bladeinleeds]

He’s trended off being a ‘bright young coach’ for years. As far as I can tell he’s never actually achieved anything of note.

maybe he’s not been helped by some idiotic choice of jobs / owners but still i see basically no positives if this is the direction we go.

if we are wasting a year of parachute payments on an unimaginative / boneheaded appointment we may as well save some money and give it to heckingbottom

 

[BushBlade]

I don't understand the objections to Appleton, really. Is it because of the beef with Oxford regarding Wilder and the "tomorrow's man" stuff? Foolish if so.

He's only had two jobs where he's had any sort of chance to build a team and he's succeeded both times.

First three jobs were Portsmouth just before they went into admin, Blackpool under the Oystons and then Blackburn under Venkys. None of those jobs were suitable for a relative novice. Now he’s got some experience under his belt he’s starting to live up to the hype he had when he first went into management after a successful coaching career.
At Lincoln, he’s experienced taking over from a manager who had almost total control over the club and who took them up two divisions.
So, whilst he doesn’t fill me with excitement, we could do worse. The idea that he’s comparable to Hecky is risible.

 

[Rodley]

First three jobs were Portsmouth just before they went into admin, Blackpool under the Oystons and then Blackburn under Venkys. None of those jobs were suitable for a relative novice. Now he’s got some experience under his belt he’s starting to live up to the hype he had when he first went into management after a successful coaching career.
At Lincoln, he’s experienced taking over from a manager who had almost total control over the club and who took them up two divisions.
So, whilst he doesn’t fill me with excitement, we could do worse. The idea that he’s comparable to Hecky is risible.

He’s on par with Karl Robinson in terms of level of success, but I think he’s probably a better manager. I’d feel a little disappointed if he’s the calibre of manager we’re in for.

 

[Blade58]

When PA said he was putting together a short list he did say short and not shit didn’t he?

 

[BushBlade]

He’s on par with Karl Robinson in terms of level of success, but I think he’s probably a better manager. I’d feel a little disappointed if he’s the calibre of manager we’re in for.

So, if it’s not Slav, who? Blessin who hasn’t had time to fail yet? (Remember Boothroyd’s first season as a manager?).

 

[Rodley]

So, if it’s not Slav, who? Blessin who hasn’t had time to fail yet? (Remember Boothroyd’s first season as a manager?).

If you’re going internationally I’d look to someone who has 3-5 years of experience, won promotions, has an innovative and flexible approach to tactics. Preferably with some links to a major club with a very strong academy. I’d look at who has performed at 2. Bundesliga, Eredivisie and Scandinavia etc.

 

[TJ blade]

I don't understand the objections to Appleton, really. Is it because of the beef with Oxford regarding Wilder and the "tomorrow's man" stuff? Foolish if so.

He's only had two jobs where he's had any sort of chance to build a team and he's succeeded both times.

It could be called a backward step, a bit like like some calling for the return of the fossal

 

[Rodley]

It could be called a backward step, a bit like like some calling for the return of the fossal

I’m not sure he’s got the force of personality to cope with the job. It works at SUFC when it’s a big personality, who almost gets hold of the whole club by the scruff of the neck. Clearly there’s some confines any new manager now needs to work within, whether they would be sacrificed to get a “big dog” manager I think we need is questionable. I’d rather we didn’t get someone a bit dull or a bit studious. The fans need someone to galvanise them and the manager needs the fans to rally behind him.

 

[bongleblade]

Just had a scan through comments on here and then Appleton’s CV.

IMO, Appleton wouldn’t just be boring, he would be a disaster for our club.

The only thing he has on his CV is multiple sackings/resignations and relegations. Not one sniff of success except runners up in the tinpot trophy (EFL)

HUGE no from me. The kind of appointment i’d expect the pigs to make, not a team who’ve just come down from the biggest league in the world... FFS

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Appleton is the sort of manager I would expect to be linked with if we were in L1. For a team just down from the PL it would be really tinpot.

 

[Weasel]

A big fat NO from me.

 

[The Crab]

I’m not sure preferring him to someone not very good is the best criteria for our new manager.

It's like saying eating a plate of tripe is preferable to starving to death

 

[The Crab]

I don't understand the objections to Appleton, really. Is it because of the beef with Oxford regarding Wilder and the "tomorrow's man" stuff? Foolish if so.

He's only had two jobs where he's had any sort of chance to build a team and he's succeeded both times.

All about opinions I guess. If he was wanted for a bigger job, he'd have been offered one. Doing a good job at Lincoln but that doesn't mean he'd necessarily be right for us.

But hey, thats just me. I'm losing interest in the lot of it to be honest

 

[The Crab]

First three jobs were Portsmouth just before they went into admin, Blackpool under the Oystons and then Blackburn under Venkys. None of those jobs were suitable for a relative novice. Now he’s got some experience under his belt he’s starting to live up to the hype he had when he first went into management after a successful coaching career.
At Lincoln, he’s experienced taking over from a manager who had almost total control over the club and who took them up two divisions.
So, whilst he doesn’t fill me with excitement, we could do worse. The idea that he’s comparable to Hecky is risible.

The like is for the last bit. As much as I'd be against Appleton, he's orders of magnitude better than Hecky.

Hecky comes across as a nice bloke, but all he has done is rinse and repeat the stuff Wilder failed on, he makes Mickey Adams look like a genius. I'm a nice bloke (honest) and I can talk a good game, but I'd be as utterly out of my depth as Hecky has been.

I'd have had Lunny and Moose cleaning the shitters though..............

 

[Snowflake]

If you’re going internationally I’d look to someone who has 3-5 years of experience, won promotions, has an innovative and flexible approach to tactics. Preferably with some links to a major club with a very strong academy. I’d look at who has performed at 2. Bundesliga, Eredivisie and Scandinavia etc.

We are a Championship club with limited financing, so I doubt we are that attractive to this group of managers.

 

[dc_blade]

All about opinions I guess. If he was wanted for a bigger job, he'd have been offered one. Doing a good job at Lincoln but that doesn't mean he'd necessarily be right for us.

But hey, thats just me. I'm losing interest in the lot of it to be honest

I’m not advocating for the guy, I’m just curious what it is in particular about him that people think makes him such a poor choice.

Can’t say I’ve heard anything particularly substantial so far. I think folk have taken against him because of the Wilder/Oxford connection. Doesn’t make much sense to me, honestly.

 

[The Crab]

I’m not advocating for the guy, I’m just curious what it is in particular about him that people think makes him such a poor choice.

Can’t say I’ve heard anything particularly substantial so far. I think folk have taken against him because of the Wilder/Oxford connection. Doesn’t make much sense to me, honestly.

Yeah I get what you are saying.

I think for me, it's simply that it's such a meh appointment

 

[dc_blade]

Yeah I get what you are saying.

I think for me, it's simply that it's such a meh appointment

It’s pretty meh, no getting around that.

 

[Upton_Blade]

Yeah I get what you are saying.

I think for me, it's simply that it's such a meh appointment

Do I want him as our next manager - NO.

Do I think he would do a good job - NO.

Would I join in the inevitable bedwetting on here and Twatter if he go the job - NO.

My reasoning for the last comment is that I was as underwhelmed as is physically possible when Spackman got the job after Kendall and look how wrong I was.

I've used this reasoning every time we have appointed a new manager ie I'll give them a chance before passing judgement. Granted most have turned out as expected but hey ho.

Serious question but, no hindsight allowed, who honestly didn't think CW was yet another cheap option???

 

[Swannyblade]

Do I want him as our next manager - NO.

Do I think he would do a good job - NO.

Would I join in the inevitable bedwetting on here and Twatter if he go the job - NO.

My reasoning for the last comment is that I was as underwhelmed as is physically possible when Spackman got the job after Kendall and look how wrong I was.

I've used this reasoning every time we have appointed a new manager ie I'll give them a chance before passing judgement. Granted most have turned out as expected but hey ho.

Serious question but, no hindsight allowed, who honestly didn't think CW was yet another cheap option???

I genuinely can't remember how i felt about the Wilder appointment. I don't think I felt much such was the feeling of apathy towards the Blades at that point. Anything had to be better than the status quo.

 

[Booker4]

Report: 45-year-old EFL boss is candidate to become new Sheffield United manager

Premier League strugglers Sheffield United could make a move for Lincoln City manager Michael Appleton as they prepare for Championship football.

www.hitc.com

If he is on the list I'd prefer him over Heckingbottom if it came down to it

I agree totally. As a personality, I'd rather Robinson over Appleton, I know it's not all about personality, but I'd say Robinson and Appleton are in a similar bracket of CV's for me. I think we should be aiming higher given we'll be fresh out of the PL. For those that say that Wilder was a lower league appointment when we got him, we were in the lower leagues at the time! And more importantly, Wilder had just done an absolutely amazing job at Northampton and did well at Oxford and Halifax before that. He'd never been sacked either, which says a lot. Appleton has never had the consistent success that Wilder had, he's done his best work at Oxford taking them from League 2 to 1, but I don't think that was exactly remarkable, given that Oxford are a bigger club than League 2 anyway. He's done well at Lincoln, but they nosedived I recall last season after he took over and this season they're back to roughly where the were when the Cowley brothers left. Speaking of them, I'd rather the Cowley brothers over Appleton and Robinson, even if they are known for direct football.

 

[The Crab]

Do I want him as our next manager - NO.

Do I think he would do a good job - NO.

Would I join in the inevitable bedwetting on here and Twatter if he go the job - NO.

My reasoning for the last comment is that I was as underwhelmed as is physically possible when Spackman got the job after Kendall and look how wrong I was.

I've used this reasoning every time we have appointed a new manager ie I'll give them a chance before passing judgement. Granted most have turned out as expected but hey ho.

Serious question but, no hindsight allowed, who honestly didn't think CW was yet another cheap option???

I agree. I was very meh about Wilder, an aldi version of warnock at the time.

One of the many times in life where I've been shown up to know fuck all.

 

[Badger Blade]

I genuinely can't remember how i felt about the Wilder appointment. I don't think I felt much such was the feeling of apathy towards the Blades at that point. Anything had to be better than the status quo.

At the time for me, he was just another cab off the rank attempting the seemingly fruitless task of getting us out of League One, Blade or not. It probably couldn't get much worse even though the first 4 games had us worrying that we'd end up like Notts County.

 

[BushBlade]

I agree totally. As a personality, I'd rather Robinson over Appleton, I know it's not all about personality, but I'd say Robinson and Appleton are in a similar bracket of CV's for me. I think we should be aiming higher given we'll be fresh out of the PL. For those that say that Wilder was a lower league appointment when we got him, we were in the lower leagues at the time! And more importantly, Wilder had just done an absolutely amazing job at Northampton and did well at Oxford and Halifax before that. He'd never been sacked either, which says a lot. Appleton has never had the consistent success that Wilder had, he's done his best work at Oxford taking them from League 2 to 1, but I don't think that was exactly remarkable, given that Oxford are a bigger club than League 2 anyway. He's done well at Lincoln, but they nosedived I recall last season after he took over and this season they're back to roughly where the were when the Cowley brothers left. Speaking of them, I'd rather the Cowley brothers over Appleton and Robinson, even if they are known for direct football.

If getting Oxford into L1 wasn’t remarkable, why couldn’t Wilder do it?

The Cowleys are also known for wanting complete control over clubs, which I don’t think PA would be prepared to give them.

 

[dc_blade]

I agree totally. As a personality, I'd rather Robinson over Appleton, I know it's not all about personality, but I'd say Robinson and Appleton are in a similar bracket of CV's for me. I think we should be aiming higher given we'll be fresh out of the PL. For those that say that Wilder was a lower league appointment when we got him, we were in the lower leagues at the time! And more importantly, Wilder had just done an absolutely amazing job at Northampton and did well at Oxford and Halifax before that. He'd never been sacked either, which says a lot. Appleton has never had the consistent success that Wilder had, he's done his best work at Oxford taking them from League 2 to 1, but I don't think that was exactly remarkable, given that Oxford are a bigger club than League 2 anyway. He's done well at Lincoln, but they nosedived I recall last season after he took over and this season they're back to roughly where the were when the Cowley brothers left. Speaking of them, I'd rather the Cowley brothers over Appleton and Robinson, even if they are known for direct football.

I get what you're saying here. I want us to be looking at the very top tier of candidates available to us, managers with experience of promotion from the Championship. That's Howe and Jokanovic and it doesn't look like either of them is coming. Failing that I would prefer a complete breath of fresh air, a totally new direction for the club. That's Blessin, and it seems like we'll fail to get a work permit for him.

So what's left? I think it's either one of the same old, grey faces from the managerial merry-go-round who at least have experience in the Championship (Lennon, anyone?) or we look down the leagues and find someone with a promising record there. Duff at Cheltenham would be a real leftfield appointment. I think Appleton also fits this category. He had a couple of false starts in his managerial career but since 2014 he's done well and he's still a young man for a manager. He's nowhere near the top of my list but I don't think he's as bad a candidate as he's being made
out to be on here.