Some good stuff there, bb.
JCR wasn't our worst player by far, however he was one of the most one-footed players I've ever seen. He only had a right foot so, as a consequence, would take it round the opposition's left-back and hope to whip in a (right-footed) cross. From the right... Once defences had sussed JCR's one and only trick, his 'crossing route' was cut off and he'd have to try it all over again. That's why some fans wrongly thought he was trying to 'beat his man twice'. He hadn't beaten him once! Tactical genius Adkins' solution? Play him on the left wing where he was effectively useless and moved on.
Not as black-and-white as that, bb. After the second-leg of the PO Semi with Swindon last season which ended 5-5 (and where we conspired to concede an all-time play-off record of seven goals over two legs) it would appear that a meeting with the directors took place immediately after that match. That's all we know. Was it a sensible time to call such a meeting (feelings running high etc.)? Who called it? The board? Clough? The accepted version is that the board asked Clough what the future held and Clough said 'more of the same'.
Now us fans who had to sit through a season of utter dross (the cup games were fun but shouldn't distract from our one-and-only target, to get the fuck out of Division Three) knew that this wasn't acceptable, and so did the board.
Comparing Clough with Adkins is like comparing crabs with chlamydia.
After around 20 years as a manager, Clough is desperate to have any promotion to his name. Even this one has been mostly Hasselbaink's work. We'll see how 'good' Clough is next season.
Won't get into an argument over it but can't agree with this Grafik.
He's had two promotions to his name in his 16, coming up for 17 years as a manager, so either you dismiss the first 10 years he had had Burton cos those promotions were non league or you acknowledge them and the various records he set at levels coming up through the leagues while in charge. Record points, record goals scored, record wins in a row.
If you dismiss those years in his first spell at Burton, then in that case he's had four and half years at Derby and 18 months at Sheffield United without a promotion but he's only ever had one season where the team haven't improved finishing position.
JFH was in charge for 20 games of this season. Clough for 26 but of course this promotion won't count for anything either cos it's someone else's work?
If you say it's the majority of JFH's work, then I accept someone else buiilt the squad, but you're giving credit to the wrong guy there. It was and is mainly Gary Rowetts squad.
To judge how good Clough is next year, if he stays at Burton, he'd have to be a miracle working genius to keep them at that level. I'd expect and predict that they will lose many more games than they'll win, it'll give a lot of ammunition to those who think he's a poor manager, that's for sure.
But if you judge it fairly and based on size of club, then ANYTHING other than finishing cast adrift at the bottom would not be a failure. They'll have a smaller budget and fan base than Yeovil Town.
That's if he stays at Burton of course, his agreement with Ben Robinson was to come in help them out for 6 months. There was no talk about what happens after that.
Part of me hopes he walks away from the game or goes to somewhere like the US to manage over there and enjoy life.
