Why do Managers without Blades link fail at the lane

[jono_t2000]

I’m only going to talk about the last 25 years, since Adrian Heath left and Warnock began, for two reasons: I was 9 when Warnock took over, and nobody wants me writing the sequel to War & Peace

But is this all just coincidence. the wrong person at the wrong time, or is there something deeper at Sheffield United? A culture where managers from outside are almost bound to fail?

I didn't realise how much it really annoyed me on Friday night, when Selles’ sacking felt inevitable. We’ve seen some genuinely good managers + Bryan Robson. who’ve succeeded elsewhere but struggled, often badly, at the Lane:

- Nigel Clough was big name, for the job he did at burton. but underachieved in the league. but probably still the best of the bunch, because of what he did in the cups

- Bryan Robson very successful at boro & 1st manager to keep a team up in premier league despite being bottom on christmas day

- Jokanović took Watford & Fulham to premier league but lasted 3 months here

- If i remember speed was doing great things at wales, that was felt even after his passing & yet was terrible here.

- Adkins brilliant at scunthorpe & back to back promotions with Southampton. yet took us to our worst league finish in 34 years

- Selles took Reading to the L1 playoffs last season despite the club on the brink of bankruptcy. lasted 6 games

So what didn’t these outsiders do that Warnock, Wilder, or Hecky did manage (i say Hecky as maybe harsh but he was wilder under a different name as he used Wilder’s players & his system), you probably have to go back to Dave Bassett in the early 90s for the last outsider who really worked.

So is it just bad luck? because for all the nuno talk. is there something about Sheffield United that outsiders simply can’t crack in these last 20-25 years?

Until we set up a proper structure at the top with a DoF, it will never change imho.

There's a disconnect from board to the manager that's missing a key middleman

 

[CrookesBlade]

It’s all more coincidence than anything in my opinion.

Away from Wilder, who I think it’s hard to argue has got more from himself and the players than maybe he otherwise would somewhere else, there are very good reasons for who has succeeded and who has failed.

Warnock’s Bladey Blade credentials never did him much good, and often counted against him. He split the fan base down the middle at the time. “Acts like a fan rather than a manager” was a common refrain. Many didn’t like the football either.

He ended up succeeding because he was a very good manager at Championship level and was given time to build a side.

Hecky did well because he was well placed within the club having worked with the players previously, and particularly Ndiaye. He also had a very good squad at his disposal and a coaching staff with reams of experience.

Of the others who had an association with the club prior to taking over their Bladey Bladeness got them through the door but didn’t do much else to help them.

Blackwell did well initially because he had a good squad to work with and was able to get them organised and playing pragmatic football. The fans soon turned though as the football was horrific and the team was steadily sold from under him.

Micky Adams was a disaster. He was years past his best and couldn’t get anything from a woeful squad with no investment.

Gary Speed was his predecessor but faired little better with the thin gruel available. Played some nice football at times but his move to the Wales job seemed to suit all parties.

Of the non Bladey managers Wilson and Clough were the best of the bunch.

Wilson had us playing superb football and would have taken us up if it wasn’t for the freakish set of events that conspired against him that season. Ultimately though cloth cutter in chief McCabe did what he did best and come the end of his second season he had very little to work with squad wise.

Clough galvanised the team and support initially almost as much as any Blade has but was let down by a recruitment policy based on collecting right backs from the Scottish leagues.

Jokanovic needed money to spend which was never made available and was opposed to playing the only formation the squad was seemingly able to manage.

Selles is a coach not a manager, probably still a good one but not equipped to work within our current set up, and seemingly with no motivational skills.

Robson was pissed all the time.

Adkins had lost whatever he had as evidenced by his time at Reading and his post Blades career.

David Weir was just doing work experience essentially.

 

[Booker4]

Bassett has no connection to United and succeeded. Same with Hecky who played for Wednesday. Wilson did well, Clough decent in first season.

I don't think it's true that only managers with connections to the club succeed. But it does help at any club.

I also think it's harsh on Wilder to say he hasn't done as well elsewhere, as some say. He did brilliantly at Northampton, decent at Oxford and Halifax. Brilliant at Alfreton. He did well at Boro for months until near the end of the first season which carried in into the next season.

Watford was only a few months and he took over an underachieving squad with players who weren't likely to be inspired by Wilder coming in.

If we hadn't gone for Wilder I do think, ironically, Rohl would have done well but it seems I'm in the minority here and I'm not saying Rohl was the best choice. Had he started slowly though the fans would have not been patient with him.

 

[SB_90]

Hard to give much credibility to a point that only stands up if you ignore all examples that disprove it

im just asking the question. & you can saying im ignoring all examples but then not list the examples, im ignoring

 

[SB_90]

I also think it's harsh on Wilder to say he hasn't done as well elsewhere, as some say. He did brilliantly at Northampton, decent at Oxford and Halifax. Brilliant at Alfreton. He did well at Boro for months until near the end of the first season which carried in into the next season.

if it came across apologies. im purely on united & what they did with us

wilder did work miracles at Northampton & oxford. getting promotions