O'Driscoll keeps his options open

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Yossarian

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Sean O'Driscoll has refused to rule himself out of the running to become the new Sheffield United manager.

The Doncaster boss is evens favourite with Sky Bet to follow Gary Speed into the Bramall Lane hotseat after the former boss left to take up the Wales' reigns.

O'Driscoll, who was heavily linked with the Burnley post earlier in the year but stayed put at the Keepmoat Stadium, is remaining non-committal on this latest vacancy.

The former Bournemouth manager, who has been in charge at Doncaster for just over four years, told Yorkshire Radio: "I'm not one for reading things in the paper and gluing myself to Sky Sports for 24 hours a day but obviously certain things have come to light.

"There's not a lot that I can say about it that isn't going to go down the line of what every other manager says when there's speculation about his position, whether it's under threat or he gets linked with another job.

Great tradition

"Until something concrete happens I don't know what you're supposed to say. It's a big club with a great tradition and a good infrastructure and we're trying to get there with Doncaster, so I don't know what else to say."

He added: "It depends what they (Sheffield United) want.

"You want your players to do the right thing if an opportunity comes up, whether it's to get in our team or go somewhere else to further their career or to put it back on track, then you want them to be ready for an opportunity and I'm no different.

"If an opportunity came up and I felt it was the right opportunity then you'd have to consider it."
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Thoughts on this?
 



That reads as: We've talked, I'm interested, there's a couple of things I need to clarify, but it could be the job for me.

There's certainly not a "No" anywhere in there.
 
Fantastic news. If he wasn't interested then he would have said "i'm happpy at Donny, not interested, flattered and la de da".

As Highbury says, it's a come and get me. Over to you mr Birch.
 
Skybet have him as favourite now at evens, Micky at 5/4.

Big change from this afternoon when Micky was 1/3 and SOD was 3/1.
 
Definitely a 'come and get me' and he didn't rule it out on RS either. On RS, all he said was there'd been no contact and he wasn't sure that 'them over there' would accept his performances over results message.
 
Kin el thats a chuffing "come get me" if ever i saw one, I know this as its what I want to hear so I make it sound more likely.

I like SoD, I don't think the times right to bring him in but then again, if we can get him now, why not. Perhaps Carver could stay and Ellis could go
 
Highbury_Blade said:
it's a "Come and get me" as far as i'm concerned
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I thought it was a come and get me call but there was a part of the interview on RS when he mentioned having 26000 people struggling to understand his explanation/s of playing well but losing.

Think we the fans need to use the message boards to push the fact that the right man [Blackie and Speed were never the right men] will be given time.

I just hope we don’t have to go down to have to rebuild.

---------- Post added at 10:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 PM ----------
SwissBlade said:
Kin el thats a chuffing "come get me" if ever i saw one, I know this as its what I want to hear so I make it sound more likely.

I like SoD, I don't think the times right to bring him in but then again, if we can get him now, why not. Perhaps Carver could stay and Ellis could go
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Really?..................
 
Does anyone not think O'Driscoll is interested in any job (and the chance to inflate his salary) whenever they come up? He'd have loved the Burnley job. But the key is that they couldn't afford him. It's the money that's the issue, and we've barely got a pot to piss in.

UTB
 



Apologies for the interruption - this is completely off topic (but I'm grading essays and my red pen is stuck on automatic) -

Who wrote that piece? They should be keelhauled. The word is reins. Not reigns.

I hate eggcorns.
 
Thats a big a come & get me plea as you can get.

Come on KmC..... Do the right thing!!!
 
Kev Gee said:
Thats a big a come & get me plea as you can get.

Come on KmC..... Do the right thing!!!
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Not sure it is. That key line about "it depends what they (Sheff Utd) want" could be the stumbling block. If the board's expectations include tight financial restraints, then he'd be better off where he is. There's no way we'll achieve anything like the fans expectations without investment, whereas he's always well placed to meet Donny fan's far lower expectations. Why drink from a poisoned chalice?

It only becomes a "come and get me" if our board are prepared to move "what they want" towards what the manager wants. Are the board prepared, or in a position, to do this??
 
SheepdipBlade said:
Not sure it is. That key line about "it depends what they (Sheff Utd) want" could be the stumbling block. If the board's expectations include tight financial restraints, then he'd be better off where he is. There's no way we'll achieve anything like the fans expectations without investment, whereas he's always well placed to meet Donny fan's far lower expectations. Why drink from a poisoned chalice?

It only becomes a "come and get me" if our board are prepared to move "what they want" towards what the manager wants. Are the board prepared, or in a position, to do this??
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I disagree with this to some extent, although I get where you're coming from. Sheffield United (debt or no debt) have far bigger resources to call upon in terms of budget and youth development than Doncaster Rovers will ever have. People can bang on all they want about our debt and whether the manager will have any funds in January. If this is a long term appointment (as they say it is) then all that is irrelevant as Sheffield United have far more clout than Donny overall.

Unless John Ryan completely empties his pockets for the next decade then Sheffield United will continue to operate on a far bigger budget with more prospects. SOD is no idiot and he will be well aware of the fact. If SOD is as good a manager as some say he is, then he wont need investment over and above what the club generates itself as he wont need to exceed what he's been working on at Donny.

The main issue here is (if they want SOD) they have to convince him that they are reading off the same page. He will want to know that he will be given time and will have full control over team affairs within the means that they would allow any other manager at a big club. If they can get permission to speak to him and give him the job on HIS terms (i.e. allow him to run the football side his way) then they will get him. Compo is the only other issue.
 
SteelCity Blade said:
I disagree with this to some extent, although I get where you're coming from. Sheffield United (debt or no debt) have far bigger resources to call upon in terms of budget and youth development than Doncaster Rovers will ever have. People can bang on all they want about our debt and whether the manager will have any funds in January. If this is a long term appointment (as they say it is) then all that is irrelevant as Sheffield United have far more clout than Donny overall.

Unless John Ryan completely empties his pockets for the next decade then Sheffield United will continue to operate on a far bigger budget with more prospects. SOD is no idiot and he will be well aware of the fact. If SOD is as good a manager as some say he is, then he wont need investment over and above what the club generates itself as he wont need to exceed what he's been working on at Donny.

The main issue here is (if they want SOD) they have to convince him that they are reading off the same page. He will want to know that he will be given time and will have full control over team affairs within the means that they would allow any other manager at a big club. If they can get permission to speak to him and give him the job on HIS terms (i.e. allow him to run the football side his way) then they will get him. Compo is the only other issue.
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Look at the the league table, it's not money but time that SOD needs.
 
SteelCity Blade said:
I disagree with this to some extent, although I get where you're coming from. Sheffield United (debt or no debt) have far bigger resources to call upon in terms of budget and youth development than Doncaster Rovers will ever have. People can bang on all they want about our debt and whether the manager will have any funds in January. If this is a long term appointment (as they say it is) then all that is irrelevant as Sheffield United have far more clout than Donny overall.
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All well and good (and to some extent perfectly true). However, without the "short term" finances to give him some sort of start, it won't end up being a long term appointment because he will fail and our "far more clout" will never come into play FOR HIM.

I remember him taking over from Penny at Donny. The first few weeks were painful on FH as the results didn't happen straight away, the players were slow to pick up his ideas and the fans couldn't see any improvement on the pitch. It seems a long time ago now but listening to them then he was lucky to last 6 months.
He hasn't got the luxury of starting from the right place (i.e. MAY 17th) and he has to hit the ground running which may be difficult.
 
GRUMPY BLADE said:
Look at the the league table, it's not money but time that SOD needs.
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Exactly thats what I'm saying. Money isn't an issue because he will know he'll have bigger resources to call upon in the future at Bramall Lane.....unless Donny get promoted this season (highly unlikely) and stay in the PL (even more unlikely).

Time and the licence to do things his way is clearly the main factor for him. You can see that from the things he said yesterday. If United want him, are prepared to pay compo and will give him the time he needs then he'll be our next manager.

---------- Post added at 10:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 AM ----------
Grecian2000 said:
All well and good (and to some extent perfectly true). However, without the "short term" finances to give him some sort of start, it won't end up being a long term appointment because he will fail and our "far more clout" will never come into play FOR HIM.

I remember him taking over from Penny at Donny. The first few weeks were painful on FH as the results didn't happen straight away, the players were slow to pick up his ideas and the fans couldn't see any improvement on the pitch. It seems a long time ago now but listening to them then he was lucky to last 6 months.
He hasn't got the luxury of starting from the right place (i.e. MAY 17th) and he has to hit the ground running which may be difficult.
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Probably all true that Grecian, but my response to that argument would be.....

If SOD is as good a manager as he's made out to be, then he will be able to keep this side up and move it forward once he can pick it apart and start building. If he cant get something out of the players we have then he's either not as good as people thought, or these players wont improve under anyone.

End of the day if he's that brilliant then he has to come and prove it by getting something out of the players we have first. He's supposed to be some sort of tactical/footballing genius, well lets see it then.

No matter which manager comes in, it is likely that their first remit will be to get this lot playing.
 
I read his comments a little differently - I think he is implying that he has spoken to United already and I have told them that it has to be my way of doing things and they are going to think about it. He might not be happy to work with John Pemberton or being told he has to anyway. United might not want to compromise on this and I think this might be more of a sticking ground than the Compensation.
the key words for me were that he said 'I do things my way'

Well just a different slant on things anyway :)
 
sheffielder said:
I read his comments a little differently - I think he is implying that he has spoken to United already and I have told them that it has to be my way of doing things and they are going to think about it. He might not be happy to work with John Pemberton or being told he has to anyway. United might not want to compromise on this and I think this might be more of a sticking ground than the Compensation.
the key words for me were that he said 'I do things my way'

Well just a different slant on things anyway :)
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Pemberton won't be up for discussion there is simply no reason to replace him.

If this comes off SoD, Pemberton and Birch could be the ticket to totally change the ethos of the club from this point forward. These are very important days in the future of Sheffield United in deciding what are long terms aims are.
 
Flatulent_Bob said:
If this comes off SoD, Pemberton and Birch could be the ticket to totally change the ethos of the club from this point forward. These are very important days in the future of Sheffield United in deciding what are long terms aims are.
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Indeed. The other key element though is for the supporters to be on-side if we go down this road. I am more than happy to give SOD all the time he needs to turn us round if he is chosen. Its no good people screaming for him now and then shouting for his head in 12 months if we're still in the bottom half. Patience will be an absolute must and not negotiable when it comes to making that promise to him from the board's point of view.

Personally, my only short term wish would be for him to keep us up this season. If he's as good as people say he is then he should be able to do that. Apart from that he can take as long as he wants to get us right as long as I see progress bit by bit. This sort of project could take years to bear fruit.
 
Flatulent_Bob said:
Pemberton won't be up for discussion there is simply no reason to replace him.

If this comes off SoD, Pemberton and Birch could be the ticket to totally change the ethos of the club from this point forward. These are very important days in the future of Sheffield United in deciding what are long terms aims are.
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Can John Pemberton get the academy to produce and understand the way S'OD wants to do things? If your talking about a total ethos change then this should be a huge consideration
 
sheffielder said:
Can John Pemberton get the academy to produce and understand the way S'OD wants to do things? If your talking about a total ethos change then this should be a huge consideration
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Fair point. We also have to bare in mind here as well, that this is not about SOD's vision, Pembo's vision or anyone else.....this is about the vision of what Sheffield United Football Club wants to achieve.

It should not be dictated by any one individual and what they are likely to demand. Whoever comes in has to fit in with OUR AIMS NOT THEIRS.
 
SteelCity Blade said:
Fair point. We also have to bare in mind here as well, that this is not about SOD's vision, Pembo's vision or anyone else.....this is about the vision of what Sheffield United Football Club wants to achieve.

It should not be dictated by any one individual and what they are likely to demand. Whoever comes in has to fit in with OUR AIMS NOT THEIRS.
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S'OD said in his interview that he doesn't compromise. This is why I see it as the sticking point
 
sheffielder said:
S'OD said in his interview that he doesn't compromise. This is why I see it as the sticking point
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Perhaps he doesnt, but we shouldn't allow that to dictate us. If our aims are fully in line with his and we're reading off the same page then fine.....its a perfect match.

If within our own expectations, he can apply his methods to that framework and have the level of freedom he wants then again.....its workable.

But if he's the kind of guy that wants total rule without having to answer to his bosses' expectations then he'll be lucky to find a suitable job away from Donny. Every manager (regardless of who they are) has to answer to someone and work towards the club's aims above all else. If he's sensible (and I'm sure he is) he will know that.
 



sheffielder said:
Can John Pemberton get the academy to produce and understand the way S'OD wants to do things? If your talking about a total ethos change then this should be a huge consideration
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He is already doing it and has been in place nearly a year. Pemberton's position won't be up for debate I wouldn't think. He is Birches man and has been doing a great job.
SoD isn't used to working with an Academy so it might be something he has to get used to, but I don't see Pembo as the type of guy who steps on shoes.

All SoD has to do is to agree that we want to play football the right way to get bums on seats and make the most of the academy kids coming through. That is Birches aim for the club and that is what's in place. If he can't agree to that then I don't want him to come.
 
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