Sacking Clough mid March

[DronnieBlade]

Not the solution IMHO. Been down that road before. Didn't work then. Wont work now.

I know that it is sooooo frustrating that just a few short weeks ago we were going to Bristol & Preston and tonking them on their own patch. And now we are reduced to this ..... !!! Funny old game.

HOWEVER, sacking the manager now is NOT the right thing to do.

See the project through to the summer and evaluate then.

But I do hope this rough patch ends and ends sooner rather than later.

For what its worth, I would rather we get our bad patch out of the way now than suffer it at the last minute at end April / Beg May and miss out then.

The proviso being of course that a good run comes. And soon !!!

UTB

 

[dingledog]

At the risk of being controversial, it worked for our Porkine neighbours the season they got promoted and we all became experts on the judicial system and the definition of rape.

 

[BushBlade]

That's true Dingledog but it was also down to us collapsing. It was a freak scenario that will be rarely repeated. Statistically we're now more likely to do worse if we sack Clough.

 

[SotonBlade]

I agree with the OP. At this point in a season, sacking the manager is not for me ideal. If we were closer to the top two and we really wanted to gamble and didn't think Clough was capable, I may see the reason for giving him the push now.

But we've got no chance of making the top two now, let the season play out and assess where to go from the summer.

 

[Deano's Shorts]

HOWEVER, sacking the manager now is NOT the right thing to do.

See the project through to the summer and evaluate then.

UTB

I think project is the key word here. In order to make sensible decisions you've got to see the current situation out, whatever the outcome.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Not the solution IMHO. Been down that road before. Didn't work then. Wont work now.

I know that it is sooooo frustrating that just a few short weeks ago we were going to Bristol & Preston and tonking them on their own patch. And now we are reduced to this ..... !!! Funny old game.

HOWEVER, sacking the manager now is NOT the right thing to do.

See the project through to the summer and evaluate then.

But I do hope this rough patch ends and ends sooner rather than later.

For what its worth, I would rather we get our bad patch out of the way now than suffer it at the last minute at end April / Beg May and miss out then.

The proviso being of course that a good run comes. And soon !!!

UTB

Can't we just add comments onto a Clough thread?

 

[JJ Sefton]

I'd stick with him until we either go up or it becomes impossible for us to go up. Then I'd get rid.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I'd stick with him until we either go up or it becomes impossible for us to go up. Then I'd get rid.

Serious question.

If we keep Done, Murphy, Brayford, Reed and who ever fans think can make the step up to division two during the close season would that keep us out of the 'impossible for us to go up' scenario?

 

[JJ Sefton]

Serious question.

If we keep Done, Murphy, Brayford, Reed and who ever fans think can make the step up to division two during the close season would that keep us out of the 'impossible for us to go up' scenario?

I mean impossible for us to go up this season. If we don't go up this season we might go up next season with Clough. We might not. On which side does the balance of probabilities rest?

 

[ScoobBlade]

I know a lot of people will read this and accuse me of being a clapper. I would be incredibly disappointed if we sack Clough now or even in the summer. Clough is building something for the long term, I'm as frustrated as anyone on here and it breaks my heart to see us in this pisspot league but I think we need stability. Over the last 8 years we've gone from manager to manager and all it achieved was relegation and years of disappointment. In clough we have a level headed manager who will make all his decisions with what's best for United in his mind, and ultimately I believe he will get us to the championship and keep us there.

 

[Blade56]

Don't think the question should be about sacking Clough. We (the Board/owners) should be looking for a replacement that can achieve promotion from a piss poor league of clubs (except Bristol & Preston they are the cream that's floated to the top).

My son used to talk about relationships as getting hold of the next branch before you let go of the last one! The time to sack NN is when we've got a good replacement lined up, sorry Nige but that's the game!

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I mean impossible for us to go up this season. If we don't go up this season we might go up next season with Clough. We might not. On which side does the balance of probabilities rest?

I think that keeping the nucleus of the squad together is important.
If we can send the players on their hols with them committing to giving us another season [assuming we haven't gone up] would speak volumes about Clough and justify why I have so much faith in him long term.

If we can't do that and the long term building is not in fact in place we might as well roll the dice and let those that brought us Robson, Weir, Adams, Blackwell, Heath etc. weave their magic.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I know a lot of people will read this and accuse me of being a clapper. I would be incredibly disappointed if we sack Clough now or even in the summer. Clough is building something for the long term, I'm as frustrated as anyone on here and it breaks my heart to see us in this pisspot league but I think we need stability. Over the last 8 years we've gone from manager to manager and all it achieved was relegation and years of disappointment. In clough we have a level headed manager who will make all his decisions with what's best for United in his mind, and ultimately I believe he will get us to the championship and keep us there.

Have a like, my thoughts exactly.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I think that keeping the nucleus of the squad together is important.
If we can send the players on their hols with them committing to giving us another season [assuming we haven't gone up] would speak volumes about Clough and justify why I have so much faith in him long term.

If we can't do that and the long term building is not in fact in place we might as well roll the dice and let those that brought us Robson, Weir, Adams, Blackwell, Heath etc. weave their magic.

I'm not much interested in a 'long term' in Division Three. I think the club should be looking seriously at at least the level above.

 

[raul]

I think 100% of us would be happy with "long term" plans if we ever got back into the Championship. That's the most competitive League in Europe and we will be in and around loads of teams equally well - and much, much better - resourced as us.

But it's a very different sell when you have pretty much all the cards stacked in your favour in League One .

 

[Darren]

Clough has been given huge financialbacking this season and to have no chance of automatic promotion mid March is hugely disappointing.

However, we could still get promoted and the season could still be a success. He should get until the end of the season. Hopefully lessons have been learned following Wilson's panic sacking.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I'm not much interested in a 'long term' in Division Three. I think the club should be looking seriously at at least the level above.

I'm not either, another season here would be too long but if we kept the squad would you give Clough next season?

 

[Kenilworth]

I'd stick with him until we either go up or it becomes impossible for us to go up. Then I'd get rid.

So, by that you are saying that if he fails to get us up then get rid as soon as it's mathematically confirmed and if he gets us up then get rid
Bit harsh if he gets us up isn't it, Walthy?

 

[JJ Sefton]

I'm not either, another season here would be too long but if we kept the squad would you give Clough next season?

I don't know that I would. What, after all, will have stopped us going up this season and will those things go in the close season?

 

[DronnieBlade]

Can't we just add comments onto a Clough thread?

No.

UTB

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

I agree with the OP. At this point in a season, sacking the manager is not for me ideal. If we were closer to the top two and we really wanted to gamble and didn't think Clough was capable, I may see the reason for giving him the push now.

But we've got no chance of making the top two now, let the season play out and assess where to go from the summer.

Agree, top two (top four !) has gone and we should be capable of bumbling through to the play-offs as we are so we may as well let this season run it's course, as painful as it may be. If we fail, we fail but let's see how it pans out and re-assess in May.

 

[grafikhaus]

I'd stick with him until we either go up or it becomes impossible for us to go up. Then I'd get rid.

Probably right, Walthy. But I've always thought there's no value in just saying 'sack the manager' without any realistic suggestions of who could reasonably be attracted to the job and who could probably do a better job. Some fans just pluck names out of thin air for the sake of it. I remember a Warnock-hater who, when I asked him for a replacement, said 'Aidy Boothroyd.' Remember him? I'd also been surprised if some didn't mention Phil Parkinson (Bradford). Frying pan. Fire. His cards have 'fallen right' for the cup run (sound familiar?), but I wouldn't fancy him to do a job week in, week out.

So here goes - blokes who are doing it on a regular basis and who - I reckon - would crawl over hot coals to get the United job.

Mark Cooper (Swindon), Karl Robinson (MKD), and maybe cheeky bids for Steve Cotterill (Bristol C.), Paul Cook (Chesterfield) and...Simon Grayson (Preston). Even more 'left field', Steve Evans (Rotherham). I've discounted Dean Saunders who, though he's doing a good job at Crawley, would be another 'work in progress' and we cannot afford another of those.

Expecting the usual 'why would he come?', 'we'd never get him', 'you must be fucking joking' etc. I'm off.

 

[ChrisBlade]

I don't really get Karl Robinson. He has had a lot of time, consistently fallen just short, usually plays a fairly boring brand of football, too, and only ever builds anything on decent loanees. Grayson and Cotterill are fairly awful, too. I don't think any of them would pacify our easily divided crowd for long.

Part of the problem is that there isn't any tempting alternatives on the market. And if we quote Wednesday and Huddersfield as examples of successful late season sackings in high positions, both had tall, physical sides where the new guy did not have to tweak the style but simply could play percentage stuff.

Our team, for better or for worse, is a team that relies on skill more than easy percentages. Yes, it might work if a more gung ho approach produces more goals, but I don't think a Grayson or Jones-type would be suitable for our current squad.

All in all, the odds are heavily stacked against a sacking producing the goods in my view.

 

[bladeinspaceandtime]

I know a lot of people will read this and accuse me of being a clapper. I would be incredibly disappointed if we sack Clough now or even in the summer. Clough is building something for the long term, I'm as frustrated as anyone on here and it breaks my heart to see us in this pisspot league but I think we need stability. Over the last 8 years we've gone from manager to manager and all it achieved was relegation and years of disappointment. In clough we have a level headed manager who will make all his decisions with what's best for United in his mind, and ultimately I believe he will get us to the championship and keep us there.

I don't understand what Clough is supposed to be "building" which some people find so endearing? He's assembled a group of players who are generally short on stature then goes on record to say we are lacking in height. Er, Nigel, you are the one who got all the short arses in.

 

[Barney Rubble]

The main reason for getting rid of the manager is to improve performances on the pitch and I'm not certain that will happen if Clough goes.
A large portion of the squad have played for him for most of their career and have signed for him as much as for the club. Others who were here before Clough such as Howard, Flynn & Murphy were going nowhere at the Lane until Clough came in. Although he's lost a large section of the crowd I think he still retains the dressing room.

 

[Dkc]

I really don't get this "lost the dressing room" business that some people are spouting. There isn't the slightest shred of evidence of rows, subversion, player revolts or training ground bust ups. All players I've seen interviewed have expressed their support for the manager.

It seems that a couple of poor results means that anyone can claim that the manager "must have lost the dressing room"

 

[Trigger Blade]

Clough is building something for the long term

I want to believe that too, but what part of a sensible building process leaves us with 10 games to go and not one single specialist centre back in contention.

At the end of last season, it felt as though a lot of the building had been done and now it feels as though we're going backwards. As we finished 7th last season, if we don't make the play-offs, at best we'll have stood still and if it's 8th or worse, we will have continued the unenviable record of having finished lower each season since 2009.

I wouldn't sack him now and probably not even before next season, but he's being more difficult to defend game by game.