So how do we start to get back on track??

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:13

I have no idea how we have become this bad. Manager, Players the Board whoever is to blame. Even the Neil Diamond music, its ok DiamondGirl, only joking:)

I want to know how we are going to turn things around.

What changes would you make?

RussianGull · Post by **RussianGull** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:16

Manager must wear a suit.

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:23

RussianGull wrote:Manager must wear a suit.

Manager must look like he's not modelling clothing in a shop window and manager must understand the concept of substitutions as they relate to football. They would be a great start.

RussianGull · Post by **RussianGull** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:26

A Martin Ling suit, not a Buckle suit!

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:27

Would you go for an experienced manager or young manager? would you clear out all the coaching staff? Which players would you get rid of and why?
Why would you make Downes captain?
Rice has been one of our best players? why drop him?

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:32

To be honest SBP I feel like giving up now. I don't even think we have the players to get out of this now anyway. It needs to be one hell of a turnaround. Whoever comes in they just need to be brave, dynamic, decisive and have excellent motivational skills. We don't even need tactics really as half the teams in this league are that sh*t. Scunny today were bloody crap and we made them look like Real Madrid. Get some new energy, belief and organisation into the side and we'll pick up points. I mean look at James Beattie, he's not a tactical genius but he's getting them playing and believing as I feel many teams at the bottom are gradually beginning to do whilst we stagnate.

I'd just get another 10 loanees in and hope for the best.

RussianGull · Post by **RussianGull** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:35

Downes would be a good Captai; rarely has a crap performance, experienced, a battler and importantly gives Mansell the opportunity to get his head down and get back to some good form.

Re players: think Hawley has been naff, not impressed by Craig really. Nothing against the loanee at CB but if Pearce is fit, play him. Wpuld like to see Yeoman and Lathrope recalled ans Sully given a chance of the bench in the last 10.

If we find the money to get rid of Alan I'd want a bruiser someone who will not be afraid to tell the players and the press that they're sh*te. Rest of coaching staff I'd keep.

Ricey stays between the posts for me unless Kenny Veysey advises otherwise.

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:44

Hi Andy, i was waiting for your response.

You have a point, it will require one hell of a turn around from where we were a couple of years ago. I agree, we need someone to take charge who is young and everything you describe.

However i believe it can be turned around easier than you think.

One of the first things i would do is play players in their correct positions. For example, why does AK play Chappel who is right footed on the left and Craig who is left footed on the right? It is normally played like that to create space behind for the full back to attack. Well that is all well and good when you are confident, winning and have attacking full backs! Cruise has only just played 3-4 games on the bounce and Tongue is not exactly rapid.

How has Mansell become so ineffective going forward, so many questions!!!

Gullscorer · Post by **Gullscorer** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:45

Bring in Gordon Sparkes as manager?

wodger of awabia · Post by **wodger of awabia** » 30 Nov 2013, 20:56

Employ an experienced manager on a temp. contract until the end of the season. Pay him & reasonable wage with a huge bonus if he keeps us up.

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 30 Nov 2013, 21:02

wodger of awabia wrote:Employ an experienced manager on a temp. contract until the season. Pay him & reasonable wage with a huge bonus at the end of the season if he keeps us up.

Agree. No more 12 month rolling contracts, we need an experienced (almost certainly out of work .... as that is all we can afford) Manager to come in with a contract until the end of the season and with a remit simply to keep us up! Someone like Martin Allen, who may have more ambition than the likes of us, might just see us as another stepping stone, while the likes of Sturrock might welcome such an opportunity on his "doorstep".

Personally, I would be happy to keep Chris Brass on, for the time being at least, as we can ill afford to sack both of the management duo.

SBP · Post by **SBP** » 30 Nov 2013, 21:22

I agree with the terms, regarding Managers contract that you mention, however i would go for a young manager.

I kind of have sympathy for any forward we have had over the last year or so, blimey we ve had enough. We never play to their strengths. Lets take one of our current forwards Hawley, who needs service in to feet and into the channels, working off the defenders shoulder. What do we do fire it like a traser at shoulder height!! He s facing the wrong way and what the heck is he suppose to do.

We need to start to play to our players strengths

AustrianAndyGull · Post by **AustrianAndyGull** » 30 Nov 2013, 21:46

SBP wrote:Hi Andy, i was waiting for your response.

You have a point, it will require one hell of a turn around from where we were a couple of years ago. I agree, we need someone to take charge who is young and everything you describe.

However i believe it can be turned around easier than you think.

One of the first things i would do is play players in their correct positions. For example, why does AK play Chappel who is right footed on the left and Craig who is left footed on the right? It is normally played like that to create space behind for the full back to attack. Well that is all well and good when you are confident, winning and have attacking full backs! Cruise has only just played 3-4 games on the bounce and Tongue is not exactly rapid.

How has Mansell become so ineffective going forward, so many questions!!!

I think the Craig / Chappell thing is one obvious change which we shouldn't even be discussing it's that obvious. To all but Knill. It's semantics though IMO as we are just catastrophic all over the park. I honestly just think we need someone with the organisation skills of Ling but with the motivation of Martin Allen. I just think there are too many problems that you cannot actually identify one and try to solve it. Knill thinks he's a tactical genius when in fact the puzzle is being made harder to solve each passing week making it nigh impossible for a new man to come in and unpick it quickly. That's why i just think we need someone to come in and get us organised, communicating and working like dogs (no offence dogs :~D ).

If we can achieve this then we can at least get competitive once again instead of being brushed aside most weeks by teams no better than us.

Read what Russ Wilcox said on the BBC sport football league two page on our match report.

He said, " we looked like the team struggling at the wrong end of the league" and that is some damning indictment of our performance and Knill. Scunny are 4th and they are bang average. Russ Wilcox has won about 3 games as caretaker and he's not even had any managerial experience FFS!! Knill has won 3 out of 22 all in and he's been in the game years!!

If we get someone in who can do what i said then we have a chance. I don't think it will be enough though. The table says we are the worst team in the entire football league and having seen 8 away games now and looked at our results and reports on our other games this season one has to say it is not possible to disagree.

God help us if the board show faith in Knill because this time it won't work. His record is worse than appalling and i actually believe if we had the players picking the team and no manager we'd get more points.

chunkygull · Post by **chunkygull** » 30 Nov 2013, 21:49

by SBP Â» 25 minutes ago

I agree with the terms, regarding Managers contract that you mention, however i would go for a young manager.

I kind of have sympathy for any forward we have had over the last year or so, blimey we ve had enough. We never play to their strengths. Lets take one of our current forwards Hawley, who needs service in to feet and into the channels, working off the defenders shoulder. What do we do fire it like a traser at shoulder height!! He s facing the wrong way and what the heck is he suppose to do.

We need to start to play to our players strengths

I have been saying this for ages. It is always frustrating as hell to see unwinnable high balls fired aimlessly up the pitch. It is even worse when the forwards are short and they play better with ball to feet.

I always feel, surely it takes more energy, time and effort to hoof a ball upfield than just simply rolling a ball into a players feet.

Hoofball just makes it more difficult and turns a match into a battle and a war of attrition.

However, if we all see it, then surely the manager/coach does too. It is surely his job to get the players to stop aimlessly hoofing the ball aimlessly in the air. Surely the coaching/practice side of thing is too blame for hoofball.

Which leads me to the question I have asked often when our team doesnt pass the ball around accurately and hoofs it aimlessly in the air - WHAT DO THEY DO IN TRAINING?

hector · Post by **hector** » 30 Nov 2013, 21:50

I would try and do something to make us harder to beat. We just seem to be too brittle.

Put 5 in defence - a back three of Pearce, O'Connor & Downes, with a restored Poke behind them.

Tonge and Cruise can both play the wing-back role, with perhaps Craig, Mozika or Mansell, Chappell in midfield and the two loan forwards up front. It is not the worst team in the world but just led by one of the worst managers.

Hoping the board are going to act swiftly but suspect they may dither and we may even still have Knill in charge next game. I guess, if that is the case, then the club have all but given up.

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