Sack him or back him part deux

[Linz]

The whys and wherefores are discussed elsewhere... simple, public poll:

At this moment in time, would you sack Blackwell or back him?

 

[KL Blade]

I'd back him for now and the board should not jump to hasty decisions because I'm not sure if we can get a right replacement mid season anyway. I'm not against up and coming managers such as Keane, Shearer and Martinez etc. but I think the board should seriously consider attracting a quality manager with proven track record and go for the likes of Klinsmann, Curbishley, Strachan etc. even though it would be a massive gamble financially, wouldn't it be worthy of a gamble?

 

[Bath Blade]

Up till last weekend, I'd have backed him, after Saturday I was unsure, and I'm now in the 'sack him' camp.

As for a replacement, haven't really given it much thought, but would like a younger manager with something to prove, but also someone who will look to play decent football.

How about Dean Windass?

 

[Bladesway]

Back him, give him to the end of the season. McCabe however needs to do the same, back him and give us an explanation (a real one) as to where all the money has gone.

Big case of careful what you wish for. KM isn't the best at picking managers is he?

 

[Revolution]

There is no point firing Blackwell because there's no chance we'll get anyone better.

The plan is quite clearly to spend as little money as possible. There will be no money for new signings. There's no real money to be made by way of player sales either, as we don't have many good players any more. We have sold our best player 3 times in 2 years and will do it a 4th time in January.

Set against this background, no good manager will come to us, because there's not much you can do with no money and this limited, injury filled squad.

So we are stuck with Blackwell until McCabe is desperate enough to fre him - which will require 5 or 6 games more without a win, or we have a change of regime or (least likely) the existing administration stops pleading poverty.

This is a shame, because from what I read and hear Blackwell is losing, or has lost, the dressing room.

 

[super_pig]

it gives me no pleasure to say this but some of us were lambasted for predicting this a couple of weeks ago.. KE was questioning the team spirit.. if there are ten players in the squad who are loanees, this must affect team spirit, they are like contractors and most of us know what they are like..
KB keeps moaning about injuries etc, but at the end of the transfer window many of us noted that the squad looked dangerously thin. this is simply a poor management decision at whatever level..
the club have things arse about face.. we should stick by sir bobby robsons mantra.. the first responsibility of the club is to entertain.. what he means is that if you play entertaining football people don't mind so much if you lose.. also more fans will come and then you create more revenue to buy better players.. as usual we are trying to do it on the cheap.. many bought season tickets last year in the hope of seeing prem football and so the attendance figure is over inflated..
he has lost the dressing room because the players instinctively know that they should be getting the ball on the ground. we have internationals in our team.. blackpool and scunthorpe cost nothing yet they are hammering us on the pitch.. yet all we do is hoof it to hendo.. if this is your only strategy then sooner or later teams will work it out.. and they have..

 

[raul]

I liken our position to that of Grimsby. Stuck with a manager no-one wanted and one who clearly didn't want to be there but equally unwilling to sack him because they couldn't afford to pay him off. He even tld the fans that they should be booing after a home defeat and the fact they didn't spoke volumes about the losing mentality of the place.

So they hung on and hung on until this week wjhen they ended up second bottom when the penny dropped that keeping him on was a false economy as the crowds had dropped by 20% since the start of the season. I mentioned Boro's atendance last night and that sems to have done for Southgate too.

But the bigger issue is - what next? Has all the building and buying been about Sheffield United Football Club or increasing the value of the Plc and consequently it's major shareholders? Replacing the manager is just another brick in the wall in comparison.I'm sick of hearing about the ambition of becoming a top ten club when there doesn't appear to be a plan to get in the top twenty.

 

[Linz]

I don't like the manager merry-go-round.

That said, I think the writing is on the wall so if getting a new manager is an inevitability, we should do so now. This gives a new manager time before the January transfer window to assess what he has and build a team in his own image.

So for me, I think I have to go with sack. All we have to fall back on is team spirit, and that appears to have gone too.

But I will add the caveat that some should be careful what they wish for.

Some of Warnock's biggest detractors had very short memories when it came to what we had afterwards... and were the first to call for him back.

 

[bramptonblade]

Robson and Blackwell should never have been appointed in the first place! Warnock should have been given one more season to get us back up and then moved upstairs. If we are not careful the club as a whole will start to slide backwards and wecould end up following Norwich, Southhampton et al!!!!!!!!.
UTB!!!!!!!!!

 

[MosboroBlade]

Robson and Blackwell should never have been appointed in the first place! Warnock should have been given one more season to get us back up and then moved upstairs. If we are not careful the club as a whole will start to slide backwards and wecould end up following Norwich, Southhampton et al!!!!!!!!.
UTB!!!!!!!!!

Is that the Neil Warnock who on the last day of our Premiership season was in all the Sunday papers bleating about his contract instead of concentrating on keeping us up. No sorry Neils time had come and gone, Robson yes was the wrong appointment, Blackwell however deserved a chance after how he turned the team around after Robson. I just cannot understand where the football and performances of the end of that season have gone. I want to see proper football again, i don't expect Samba soccer but i dont want to watch aimless balls to Hendo. Sorry Blackwell time to move on.

 

[sheffielder]

Sack the runt

 

[mall]

I think that a man who can admit his mistakes has cojones.
Get on with it McCabe.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I voted sack him. Last nights result, coming on top of the others recently, was bloody awful. He clearly doesnt have the ability to manage at this level.

 

[Jimbo]

I'm still in the 'back him' camp... but only just.

Changing managers on a regular basis, which we are in danger of doing if we do sack him, hardly ever works and just leads to more long term disruption at the club. Warnock was given plenty time despite several poor seasons and eventually got us to the Premiership so I've thought from the start that Blackwell should be given at least 2 or 3 seasons to rebuild after Robson.

Having said that, if things don't start improving soon (performances, spirit and results) then I fear getting rid would be the only option left.

Maybe give him till Christmas and if things haven't improved get rid in time for January.

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

It's all well and good wanting Blackwell out but you need to be able to install a better replacement. I'm not happy with Blackwell at all, but I'm struggling to think of a replacement who is available.

 

[Darren]

I voted sack him. Last nights result, coming on top of the others recently, was bloody awful. He clearly doesnt have the ability to manage at this level.

To be fair to KB, up until now he has shown that he DOES have the ability to manage at this level (2 play off finals - one with Leeds and one with us - and a play off near miss (in 2008) is not a bad record at this level).

I think there is a real question mark as to whether he does have the ability to make SUFC anything better than a decent Championship team, but I also think there is a massive over reaction to the recent run of poor results - just another symptom of the short termism so prevalent in football today and for which I blame the internet .

Again being fair to KB, his record up until this season has been one of continuous improvement. This season he has had to deal with a significantly reduced budget, a squad which, in my view, is nowhere near as good as the one he had in his first two season and masses of injuries. I am not making excuses for him and by no means do I think he is a top class manager. However, I think it would be grossly unfair to sack him at this stage.

 

[JJ Sefton]

To be fair to KB, up until now he has shown that he DOES have the ability to manage at this level (2 play off finals - one with Leeds and one with us - and a play off near miss (in 2008) is not a bad record at this level).

The point of managing at this level is to get out of it. Its a bit like saying that Major Edwin Phipps had the ability to escape from Stalag Luft 112B because he tried it 118 times.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

He can go for me.

Watching the first half last night I though Blackpool were extremely poor and we were having the better of the game, but that said I had no idea where a goal was going to come from and I'm certain the players hadn't either. There is no plan, no team spirit and it's rapidly becoming unwound.

I hate the one bad result and get the manager out culture of modern day football, but I have to say that right now if you looked to the future I can't see where KB is taking us and it feels like the players share that.

The moment Cresswell broke away early in the second half last night and had absolutely no idea where anyone else was or who should be popping up where in support was criminal. I'm sure he took dog's abuse in various parts of the stand for his shot (which was indeed crap), but he had absolutely no other option.

Our whole pattern of play is eminently predictable - launch it to Doris, scraps, hopefully a set-piece or maybe a throw-in. When that doesn't work it's only going to be a matter of time before we're worn down. And once we were last night, heads dropped so low that there was no other result on the table. I left before the end to continue my adventures on the North West rail network - abusing the players is not on, however, KB deserves what stick he gets for last night and Saturday - it was abysmal.

 

[Muttley]

If we get rid of Blackie, at least we might see some football played. These players are more than capable. Problem lies with the fact that they are played out of position, ball flies over their heads meaning the midfielders have to continuously defend and not create.
We have the players, we just have a desperately ugly style that will get us nowhere. And we wonder why the players look pissed off?

That my friends, IS Blackwells fault!!!!

 

[Darren]

The point of managing at this level is to get out of it. Its a bit like saying that Major Edwin Phipps had the ability to escape from Stalag Luft 112B because he tried it 118 times.

The point of managing at this level is not necessarily to get out of it. I suspect the fans of Scunthorpe, Peterborough and Doncaster will not consider their managers abject failures because they don't get the clubs promotion to the PL. For those clubs survival in the 2nd tier is success.

I appreciate that for a club like SUFC, the aim is to get into the PL, but an inability in a manager to get promotion is different thing to being a competent 2nd tier manager. Anyway, in only one an a half seasons in charge, KB took us to one game from the play offs and the play off final. In the light of that, I humbly suggest that saying he doesn't have the ability to manage at the second tier level (even on your definition) is plainly incorrect.

 

[TonyAgana]

I say sack him. I've got oodles of sympathy for the guy but I just cannot see us turning it around with him in charge. KM confuses me a little - gave Warnock a year-on-year contract even when he achieved promotion but slaps a long-termer in front of KB because he had some difficult decisions to make. I'm not saying KM's mistake was not giving NW a long contract, but his decision to use contracts as a confidence tool rather than a reward for success baffles me with regards to his motivations.

 

[shorehamview]

Until recently I too was in the "back him" camp, but not any more. I didn't go to Scunny or Blackpool, but that doesn't mean I can't comment on two atrocious performances. I agree that we don't have a divine right to beat anybody, but we do have a right to have a team that will put in the effort. It's far easier to accept defeat when your side have done everything they can to avoid it, but it's not very nice when they have basically let the opposition pull their pants down and get on with it.

McCabe needs to act quickly, if only to get another manager in. I don't know who we should try to get, but it's now crystal clear that the man for the job isn't Blackwell. I will be forever appreciative of his efforts after Robson, but everybody's time comes sooner or later, and Blackwell's time is well and truly up. Short term replacement? Curbishley or Coppell until the end of the season, then who knows?

 

[Come from away]

Let me think, we could splash out for an expensive new manager (someone like Robson) or we could bring in some up and coming guy (someone like Blackwell). Well as we've had those two options what's left? At this moment we have a successful manager who has hit his first streak of poor form. He says back the team, they are trying and it will come good, if you want to dump on anybody pick on me. In this knee-jerk instant success environment I think that takes guts. So I will give him a chance and don't expect two wins before the International break (injured players don't come back on top of their game) but after I do expect to see us back to where we were. If not I know the Directors will be putting pressure on for change as they do want success, cause it ain't about money. So fo now I will keep my red and white glasses on thank-you.

For the record. As to the "lack of spirit" comment Keith Edwards quickly backed off when Kevin rightly defended his players. KE said what he meant (in giving Seth the question) was that the players were not together on the field, i.e. not close enough (yards apart) to make easy passes - he did not question thier commitment (other than Harper who he claerly does not like).

 

[Worksop II]

Not voted, we aint due to go back up for another 8 years or so ......

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Np point sacking him yet - let's wait until some of the walking wounded get back and give him until December prior to the transfer window.

I really do hope things improve over the next few weeks.

 

[Darren]

Np point sacking him yet - let's wait until some of the walking wounded get back and give him until December prior to the transfer window.

I really do hope things improve over the next few weeks.

I don't usually do other work analogies (ask Len), but if you had an employee who over first 18 months in the job had done as well as or better than the previous holders of that position in 12 of the previous 14 years, would you then sack him if he had one bad month?

If you say yes, I think you would have an unfair dismissal claim on your hands.

 

[alcoblade]

Let me think, we could splash out for an expensive new manager (someone like Robson) or we could bring in some up and coming guy (someone like Blackwell).

good post overall, but maybe I'm reading this bit wrong? You seem to be suggesting that we've tried both those routes, they've failed, so we can't try again. Almost by definition, 95% of managers will be deemed failure, so we all have to play the percentages. Blackwell was a dodgy penalty decision away from getting us promoted, but he didn't. Now we're left where we are, and with the probability of a longer term stint in this division. Given that, I'd like to be entertained at this level and that includes playing some progressive football, or the up and at 'em approach Blackwell arrived with. I can't support the current tripe, injuries or not. I've lost faith that when our injured players return, the style will change. It should be changed now, but isn't. For that reason, I'd take another chance on an up and comer.

UTB

 

[alcoblade]

I don't usually do other work analogies (ask Len), but if you had an employee who over first 18 months in the job had done as well as or better than the previous holders of that position in 12 of the previous 14 years, would you then sack him if he had one bad month?

If you say yes, I think you would have an unfair dismissal claim on your hands.

not a good analogy Darren, IMHO. The Sheffield United of recent times is of no comparision (resource wise) to the Sheffield United of most of the previous 12 years. It's fair to expect better than average.

Also, for "one bad month" read "a quarter of a season in, and mid table".

UTB

 

[Darren]

not a good analogy Darren, IMHO. The Sheffield United of recent times is of no comparision (resource wise) to the Sheffield United of most of the previous 12 years. It's fair to expect better than average.

Also, for "one bad month" read "a quarter of a season in, and mid table".

UTB

Not sure thats entirely correct. the club had significant resources in the period 1996-98 and 2005-08. We got in the play offs, were promoted or in the PL each year we had signficant resources (with the exception of the Robson year), so you could say that KB as done as well or better than other managers with similar resources.

Our poverty stricken years would be 94-96 and 99-03 (in which years we only once got in the play offs) and middling years resources wise were 98-99 and 03-05 (on all 3 occasions we narrowaly missed out on the play offs.

I would say we are now in 98-99 and 03-05 land resources wise, so on that basis, mid table with a quarter of the season gone is not that far off the usual pace.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I don't usually do other work analogies (ask Len), but if you had an employee who over first 18 months in the job had done as well as or better than the previous holders of that position in 12 of the previous 14 years, would you then sack him if he had one bad month?

If you say yes, I think you would have an unfair dismissal claim on your hands.

That's the real difficulty here - in a work place you don't usually have 20-30,000 people watching your every move and judging you based on the performance of your area of responsibility (whether or not you can directly influence it).

It's harsh, it's unfair, legally and probably morally wrong - but if the 30,000 onlookers have decided in their own minds that it can't be done and the people in your sphere of influence are beginning to wonder, then the reality is that you are highly unlikely to meet their expectation however unrealistic they may be. Unfortunately this means that if you were to take decisive action now to influence future performance, then the decision would be to get rid.

In this case, the modern football manager's existence is probably closer to that of politician or holywood filmstar than a normal job - you're only as good as the last couple of months or your last film.

I actually don't think we will act - even though if it was down to me I would do it right now. I think our board see themselves as pretty fair-minded and will follow your point exactly - compared to where we were when he took over he has taken us forward. I think we will hold on - at least for the next 6 weeks or so. McCabe doesn't strike me as the type of guy to act without a back-up plan, and also not the type of guy to have already been tapping up a replacement.

It's a grotty business, but I'm afraid I've joined the "I want my success now (or at least in the forseeable future)" camp. Sorry Kev.