Scougs on Adkins

[Clarkey87]

I just think Adkins was shit and out of his depth off the back of a couple of decent seasons (with a combination of factors) which he will never have again.
I admit I was taken in by his lucky stint and thought he would be a decent manager for us when we signed him.......however the rest, as they say, is history.

Clueless, spineless bullshitter who will be lucky to get a job above league one again.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Fair enough, but I agree that Scougs didnt really step up to the plate in Clough's second season, so he needs to be a bit careful with comments like this.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I thought we'd got rid of all this Adkins v Clough bollocks?

 

[BushBlade]

I thought we'd got rid of all this Adkins v Clough bollocks?

How many posts are there on here about John Harris, TC, Woody, Givens, Peters, Bassett, Warnock, Monty, Edwards and Morris, Deane and Agana etc?
We'll never get rid of it.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Why wasn't any of this voiced last season?

 

[Snowman]

"He told me: ‘You’re a great player but I need to cut the numbers down.’ All that bulls**t."

Hasn't it been pretty much accepted by everyone that we did need to get the numbers down?

That's the most believable bit of it. Problem was that he wanted/needed to get the numbers down for his organ. Hammond I mean.

 

[tyke1889]

How many posts are there on here about John Harris, TC, Woody, Givens, Peters, Bassett, Warnock, Monty, Edwards and Morris, Deane and Agana etc?
We'll never get rid of it.

That's what happens when you have a club with proper history, something that lot at MK Plastics will not have for a long time.

 

[BushBlade]

That's what happens when you have a club with proper history, something that lot at MK Plastics will not have for a long time.

Those silly twats keep banging on about how fucking Sanchez scored in the FA Cup final like any of those pricks who live in Milton Keynes were there or even gave a shit at the time.

 

[Snowman]

There is no doubt that Adkins was told to get the numbers down, as the clearing of the decks in January shows.

It wasn't fun to watch the football, but I suspect the behind the scenes situation was even more of a trainwreck than on the pitch last season. As best I can tell from ITK posts on this board and discussions with various people, at least one, and possibly all, of the following happened:

1. Adkins massively overestimated the ability of the players we had and the players he brought in.

2. The board changed its mind about the level of investment it was prepared to provide, or there were divisions within the board that prevented investment being made.

3. For some reason, Adkins lost the dressing room, or lost the respect of a good percentage of the players, some of whom stopped giving their best effort.

4. Adkins' tactical nous completely deserted him.

5. Adkins tried hard to introduce what he felt would be improvements to the way the club was run behind the scenes, but failed to achieve this.

I'd love to hear his side of the story, but I suppose that's what confidentiality clauses are for.

1. His arrogance was overwhelming. He appears to have waltzed into the club with his staff without watching any video or seeking any other opinion as to why we had failed. Hence the everyone gets a chance when we knew they didn't warrant it. (Yes I understand that would have lost us a couple who are now worthwhile).
2. Even a board (unless its the Venkys) have a basic understanding of football and when the results are shit and the manager spouts bullshit to cover it then can you blame them for thinking "Whoa"!
3. Some reason? Did you not read the various posts of WHF? Adkins main apologist. Even thick footballers can smell bullshit, especially from a tanned orange former goalkeeper with a physio qualification who keeps Geese in his largest room. (Hence the mass piss take goal celebration).
4. Don't understand Number 4. Did he really ever have any?
5. Like what? More to improve things for Adkins and staff possibly which is why they weren't put in place until everyone knew they would benefit the club rather than Adkins.

Yes I'd love to hear from him as well, especially about the Hammond affair that has cost us nearly a quarter million for sweet FA.

 

[Bladesthorpe]

Looking at the players who are congratulating Scoogs on his goal makes you realise what a good job Wilder is doing with supposedly less talented players.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Think Scougs is proving this season he's a valuable squad member to have around.

He may not be an automatic pic but can cover a fair few positions and could yet make one of them his own if his form and confidence comes back. Could do with chipping in a few more goals but sat was a good start.

He's clearly trying to repay the managers faith in him and fits the energetic way wilder likes to play.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

How many posts are there on here about John Harris, TC, Woody, Givens, Peters, Bassett, Warnock, Monty, Edwards and Morris, Deane and Agana etc?
We'll never get rid of it.

Yeah but that toxic "debate" split the Kop in 2 last season. It's great to get everybody aboard the good ship Wilder.

 

[Deleted member 875]

Funnily enough I've been talking to a fairly knowledgable Scunny fan today and he was spoke about Adkins in glowing terms, whilst I understandably spoke less favourably, what is indisputable is that he was a unprecedented success at Scunthorpe, however his time here was a total unmitigated disaster, I can fully understand why he was appointed and his track record before coming to the Lane made it appear to be a great appointment at the time. Without raking over old coals about the utter abomination last season, it didn't work out for him, but it was a shambles when he came in, and he couldn't influence or change that. I thought he deserved a season, he got that, made us worse and it was the absolute right thing to get rid.

I'm not a great fan of Scougall, I thought he looked a cracking player when he came in, and the memories of his Wembley goal will live long in the memory, but he had two poor seasons, and he still hasn't been great so far this season, although his recent goals and have been pleasing, I think at the minute he should only be a useful squad player and someone who needs replacing in the longer term

 

[Bert]

Funnily enough I've been talking to a fairly knowledgable Scunny fan today and he was spoke about Adkins in glowing terms, whilst I understandably spoke less favourably, what is indisputable is that he was a unprecedented success at Scunthorpe, however his time here was a total unmitigated disaster, I can fully understand why he was appointed and his track record before coming to the Lane made it appear to be a great appointment at the time. Without raking over old coals about the utter abomination last season, it didn't work out for him, but it was a shambles when he came in, and he couldn't influence or change that. I thought he deserved a season, he got that, made us worse and it was the absolute right thing to get rid.

I'm not a great fan of Scougall, I thought he looked a cracking player when he came in, and the memories of his Wembley goal will live long in the memory, but he had two poor seasons, and he still hasn't been great so far this season, although his recent goals and have been pleasing, I think at the minute he should only be a useful squad player and someone who needs replacing in the longer term

Bert is sure that Mr Tufty Wilder will replace him in due course.

 

[YES Blade]

It's disappointing to hear comments like this to be honest. No matter what Adkins has said or done, Scougall should be professional and keep his opinions private.

Show Adkins he was wrong by putting in good performances not talking to the press.

 

[The_Green_Man]

I personally don't understand any of the negativity towards the piece what so ever, in fact quite the opposite because I find the honesty of them interview to be quite refreshing.

Scougall is confident in his own ability and whilst he is delivering the goods then why shouldn't he be?

During Clough's tenure in charge, Scougall battled an injury after starting pretty well and for this reason he fell away a bit and never really discovered his form.

Under Adkins he never really had the chance to get out there and do it and let's face it, the managers tactics were missing and wouldn't have suited Scougall anyway.

A new manager has come into the club with his own ideas and honesty and in turn it seems the players are allowed to express themselves more on and off the pitch which is in turn producing the results that we need.......

Scougall hasn't brought the club into disrepute in the slightest and he is more than entitled to speak out about time under Adkins.

 

[TonyAgana]

Scougall should be professional and keep his opinions private.

Why? It's as though we all want Steven Gerrard's ear-rubbing "erm, erm, erm" interviews or Wayne Rooney England Captain's "y'know, yeah, no, I mean, yeah, y'know" fluff.

Isn't it a fairly common opinion that football has lost its character(s) in the modern era? Chris Wilder seems like a very refreshing throwback to a time when football was a working class game; approachable in the pub, honest, truthful, candid - and we applaud him for that. Scougall's comments are in a much similar vein, to my mind.

 

[Pinchy]

More proof that Adkins is/was a fraud. He'll not manage above Division Three level unless he takes a team up. Got lucky at Southampton by inheriting a team of future England internationals and took over a Scunthorpe team that was already put in place for him by Bison Head.

He got four promotions. That doesn't happen by accident. No amount of Bladey sophistry will change that. He was rubbish at BDTBL. Why don't we leave it at that rather than try to rewrite history in relation to his undoubted successes?

 

[Pinchy]

Bert is sure that Mr Tufty Wilder will replace him in due course.

Indeed, but I'll see your Scougall and raise you a Done...

 

[Bert]

Indeed, but I'll see your Scougall and raise you a Done...

Bert would be happy for Mr Tufty Wilder to put them both in the same taxi next summer.

 

[s35blade]

Adkins is just one those please everybody sort of blokes, if you close your'e eyes you can just imagine his office being full of framed pictures with text below them saying 'believe', 'together','team' and 'You can do it'
I always said and still believe that he's a decent lower league manager, who did espeically well at Scunthorpe, his stock (and own ego) was grossly and unduly inflated by his Southampton days, a very very average manager could of got that team from League 1 to the Prem with the players he had.

A bit like Blackwell, a bang average manager who nearly got promoted because of how good our side was at the time.

 

[Bladesman]

Adkins is just one those please everybody sort of blokes, if you close your'e eyes you can just imagine his office being full of framed pictures with text below them saying 'believe', 'together','team' and 'You can do it'
I always said and still believe that he's a decent lower league manager, who did espeically well at Scunthorpe, his stock (and own ego) was grossly and unduly inflated by his Southampton days, a very very average manager could of got that team from League 1 to the Prem with the players he had.

A bit like Blackwell, a bang average manager who nearly got promoted because of how good our side was at the time.

Pardew couldn't get Southampton promoted out of League 1 but has managed at a high level for most of his recent career. It may have been straight forward enough to get Southampton out of League 1 but to get them to the Premier League and keep their head above water does take some skill.

What Adkins had in his favour at Southampton and Scunthorpe is a board that wasn't a 50/50 split between a £1 Prince and a Belgium Waffler at the helm who think a football club can run itself.

Our remit last season:

Remove higher earners despite some sitting on their high wage waiting for their contracts to end
Little funds available until the high earners have gone even though other clubs are not interested in the players you have
You can sign one or two loan players despite the owners saying they don't want to rely on loan players
The technical board will help oversee signings but it won't be in place til about half way through the season where it wont be much help at all
Get us promoted regardless of the above and regardless of the Baxter situation

Adkins may have not been the right man for us but it is wrong to undermine what he has done in his career. He did have a lot to contend with regardless what the wee man who hardly tore things up while on loan at Fleetwood says.

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Adkins like his predecessor failed to address the goalkeeping / defence issue out his successor did it within a month with decisive decisions - Adkins CHOSE to pursue Burn/Hammond and was successful in only one thank Christ!

No one will convince me the money spent on Hammond couldn't have been used to buy 2 or 3 decent lower league players.

As regards Scougall, needs to perform consistently over a longer period before he can criticise the actions of others and would have been much better keeping his trap shut and letting his football do the talking.

 

[TonyAgana]

Our remit last season:

Remove higher earners

Well, that's not true, is it?

 

[Bladesman]

Well, that's not true, is it?

Well we had to cut our cloth accordingly I thought that was partly the reason behind the technical board? Or it was at very least it was a one out one in policy which would explain the lack of movement in January.

Adkins like his predecessor failed to address the goalkeeping / defence issue out his successor did it within a month with decisive decisions - Adkins CHOSE to pursue Burn/Hammond and was successful in only one thank Christ!

No one will convince me the money spent on Hammond couldn't have been used to buy 2 or 3 decent lower league players.

As regards Scougall, needs to perform consistently over a longer period before he can criticise the actions of others and would have been much better keeping his trap shut and letting his football do the talking.

The biggest bollock dropped by Adkins was the signing of Hammond. Maybe if he had recognised his mistake sooner and offered Hammond a player/coach role and gone looking for a new midfielder in January he would have saved himself. (We probably could have got Fleck in on the cheap back then)

I just think the transfer policy in place at the club at the start of last season left Adkins with one arm tied behind his back. Granted a manager with his experience should be able to work around that as I am sure he had been under similar restrictions at Scunny. Although I can't imagine working for two owners is a straight forward job especially if one wants rid of the manager and the other does not want rid. To me it seemed like the rug got pulled early doors on Adkins before the January window, no one will convince me that he did not want to bring anyone else in.

Ultimately the club shot itself in the foot last season with its irractic decision making at board level such as the last minute decision to sack Clough after the had done the retained list, not overseeing the transfers correctly and then the random decision to create a "Technical Board" mid season which undermines the manager. All that was further more compounded by a manager who was not the right for us at that moment in time to deal with it all.

The blessing is that players did eventually go and it has given the Wilder a bit more freedom in the transfer market this season than what Adkins got.

 

[TonyAgana]

I just think the transfer policy in place at the club at the start of last season left Adkins with one arm tied behind his back

I don't understand how the Hammond deal could possibly have fitted into such a stringent transfer policy that you allude to. I think Adkins was probably told that all contract values were to be slashed at the end of the season but it was still possible, for the right kind of manager, to at least compete last season with that squad. I don't think that his failure can be laid at the door of a split board (which, by the way, don't seem to be split this season, do they?). For my money, it's a simple case of Adkins being a bad fit for this club in that situation. Now that CAN be laid at the door of the board.

 

[Bladesman]

I don't understand how the Hammond deal could possibly have fitted into such a stringent transfer policy that you allude to. I think Adkins was probably told that all contract values were to be slashed at the end of the season but it was still possible, for the right kind of manager, to at least compete last season with that squad. I don't think that his failure can be laid at the door of a split board (which, by the way, don't seem to be split this season, do they?). For my money, it's a simple case of Adkins being a bad fit for this club in that situation. Now that CAN be laid at the door of the board.

True but players still needed to be moved on or at least some money needed to be saved after the what Clough had pissed away during his time here. A splurge on Hammond's wage, I agree was not needed but even Billy has admitted he himself took a big wage cut to rejoin us. You also have to admit that no one wanted any of the players that Clough had accumulated (apart from Che) and even this season it has hardly been a breeze for Wilder to move some of whats left on.

There were and probably still are divisions in the boardroom especially with the rumoured split over further investment last season. I just think unlike Adkins that Wilder does not let what goes on above him bother him too much and gets on with the job.

It is worth pointing out that in another thread that Wilder himself allegedly said "the Board haven't got a clue what they are doing" before he joined.

 

[itsinyerblood]

True but players still needed to be moved on or at least some money needed to be saved after the what Clough had pissed away during his time here. A splurge on Hammond's wage, I agree was not needed but even Billy has admitted he himself took a big wage cut to rejoin us. You also have to admit that no one wanted any of the players that Clough had accumulated (apart from Che) and even this season it has hardly been a breeze for Wilder to move some of whats left on.

There were and probably still are divisions in the boardroom especially with the rumoured split over further investment last season. I just think unlike Adkins that Wilder does not let what goes on above him bother him too much and gets on with the job.

It is worth pointing out that in another thread that Wilder himself allegedly said "the Board haven't got a clue what they are doing" before he joined.

Interesting read Bladesman, and I'll take your observations as described. I wonder what lies at any perceived division in the boardroom? Presumably McCabe and the Prince don't see eye to eye, thus we'll be looking at an eventual bid for complete ownership, and if that were the case we can only hope that beyond any takeover there'd be resources available to the manager. It's been clear for many years that on his own McCabe is either unwilling or incapable of funding this club in the way it calls out for. Presumably there's a reluctance of some sort or another that requires a hurdle or two to be overcome before this unhelpful situation, if it exists, is overcome. Potentially interesting times ahead if this dispute is resolved.

 

[BushBlade]

True but players still needed to be moved on or at least some money needed to be saved after the what Clough had pissed away during his time here. A splurge on Hammond's wage, I agree was not needed but even Billy has admitted he himself took a big wage cut to rejoin us. You also have to admit that no one wanted any of the players that Clough had accumulated (apart from Che) and even this season it has hardly been a breeze for Wilder to move some of whats left on.

There were and probably still are divisions in the boardroom especially with the rumoured split over further investment last season. I just think unlike Adkins that Wilder does not let what goes on above him bother him too much and gets on with the job.

It is worth pointing out that in another thread that Wilder himself allegedly said "the Board haven't got a clue what they are doing" before he joined.

I'm not sure why anyone thinks it's a good idea to post those comments in the first place, or to repeat them. It's well known that people at the club read this forum and I doubt CW would want the board to believe he thinks they're clueless.

 

[Bladesman]

Interesting read Bladesman, and I'll take your observations as described. I wonder what lies at any perceived division in the boardroom? Presumably McCabe and the Prince don't see eye to eye, thus we'll be looking at an eventual bid for complete ownership, and if that were the case we can only hope that beyond any takeover there'd be resources available to the manager. It's been clear for many years that on his own McCabe is either unwilling or incapable of funding this club in the way it calls out for. Presumably there's a reluctance of some sort or another that requires a hurdle or two to be overcome before this unhelpful situation, if it exists, is overcome. Potentially interesting times ahead if this dispute is resolved.

Lets face McCabe wants out or at least says he does but yet still seems to be here. I reckon the Prince ideally would have liked to take full control (the same for any potential new owner) of the club but he would rightly want more than McCabe is prepared to give away e.g. the ground etc.

I'm not sure why anyone thinks it's a good idea to post those comments in the first place, or to repeat them. It's well known that people at the club read this forum and I doubt CW would want the board to believe he thinks they're clueless.

I agree but that said Wilder is a Blades fan and many of us think the board is clueless.