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Post by tenacres on Feb 10, 2018 22:04:49 GMT
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Post by thelake on Feb 12, 2018 22:59:41 GMT
bold words saying that we will stick with hessenthaler. hopefully the results will be good and we do
top half this season I think we need, if we end up 16th-18th I think we would be looking for a new manager
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2018 6:34:40 GMT
bold words saying that we will stick with hessenthaler. hopefully the results will be good and we do top half this season I think we need, if we end up 16th-18th I think we would be looking for a new manager It was an excellent interview given by SD and tells everyone things are beginning to settle down behind the scenes and that the club has learned from their mistakes. In that respect RH has done a marvellous job in his DoF role and is something SD is very grateful for. Wherever the team ends up this season, and lets be honest here, there was a point in which relegation was a real possibility, Andy Hessenthaler deserves great credit for moving us away from it and the players have responded, and eight more points should be enough. If that were to place us in the 16th-18th position at the end why would the club think Andy had to go?? The club knew this would be a very difficult season, more than we, the fans were fully aware of.
I think we will finish 10th/11th and that's a fine effort from when AH took over, and its not as if the players can take their foot off the gas and coast through to the close of the season, for one thing those eight points are still vital and required, but a close look at the remaining 13 fixtures will tell you we play 6 of the top 9 teams who are contesting the title and play-offs places, while at the other end we play 5 teams in the bottom 8 fighting for their lives, and 2 games in which you might call in the comfort zone against Maidenhead and Gateshead. I think it is good we have 11 such games to play, it means there is an edge to them and the players won't be thinking about their holidays just yet!!!
There is absolutely no point in speculating that AH won't be here next season and start throwing names around to replace him. I believe he wants to stay, he will stay, and SD will be very pleased to have him stay because AH is building something. He'll know where our weaknesses are, whereas a new Manager coming in during the summer won't, so its a no brainer is it not?
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Post by nobadspitfire on Feb 13, 2018 8:03:42 GMT
Absolutely. We need stability at the club & an experienced Manager who can build a team. AH gives us that. What is the point of speculating about getting another new Manager? Just look at what's happened at SFC.
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Post by hantslondoner on Feb 13, 2018 8:43:54 GMT
As I've said before, I think RH came in last season and did a good job in settling things down which was what he was brought in to do. This season, not helped by an 'average' transfer summer, by injuries, and by long-term contracts, he was unable to maintain the momentum and, in retrospect, possibly moved upstairs a month or two too late, as some people on the forum have said. I, for one, didn't ever think we were in serious danger of relegation (my posts have consistently said we look a mid-table team, I still think we are) but we had a bad run before Christmas which precipitated the reshuffle. AH has come in, and with the same group of players, has got an extra 10-20% or so out of them, meaning we have a good run and have therefore moved up the table. He deserves a lot of credit for that. After the end of Feb (we should win our next two games) the fixtures get harder, as SoE points out, so I still expect a mid-table position, which would be OK given the starting point this season. I still wonder what the next step will be. I'd like to see how AH handles a few defeats in Mar/Apr and what the overall state of the club is at the end of the season. If we are still on an upward slant, then I'd certainly keep him on, if we're not then I probably would anyway - he's changed the mood of the club in the last couple of months, he's an expereinced manager with a good track record - the only question is whether that was 'new manager bounce', or whether it's a real turnaround. The next two months will tell. Also the summer transfers will again be vital for that next step, so a decision on AH's future needs to be made in April or May, in my opinion.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2018 9:06:53 GMT
Good post hantslondoner but I would ask you one question. If AH were to go at the end of the season (I hope not) a new manager coming in will not know how bad the defence is, or about the lack of pace all over the pitch. For stability AH has to remain, he knows the problems and has more than likely given RH a list of names to address them. Those names are probably being watched and likely to continue to be watched until the transfer market opens at the seasons end. AH should be given in all honesty a three year contract, its vital the club allow's a manager that amount of time to rebuild the club. We've proven beyond a doubt that constantly changing the manager when we have a bad period is not the way forward, give AH three years and back him to the hilt.
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Post by hantslondoner on Feb 13, 2018 9:36:14 GMT
Can't argue with that, SoE. Although I'd probably give him another two years instead of three.
With the defence, individually I think there are some reasonable players there, but they certainly don't seem to play together. Callum Howe did his best at organising them, but towards the end of his stay even he was finding it difficult. Maybe Cresswell, when fit, can do it. I'm also not sure sometimes whether we're playing four or three at the back, with Wood getting left upfield a lot, leaving space for the opposition right winger. Is this deliberate? Pleased to see Hoyte has improved under AH, I've been very critical of him before.
Pace - front two are fast enough, but apart from that I agree with you. We've tried a couple of speed merchants (like Hudson-Odoi) but not yet found the right one.
I still feel we also need a stronger ball-winner in the centre of midfield, someone with a bit of pace there too. And better cover there for the defence - Togwell was out a long time and, like Cresswell, hasn't really got back into it, as far as i'm concerned.
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Post by nobadspitfire on Feb 13, 2018 10:47:47 GMT
On the subject of a contract for Andy Hessentalher, as SD said in the interview, he's on a week to week basis atm. He's happy with it that way & presumably so is the club. IF another club comes in for him on the basis he's doing a good job here, he then has to decide whether it's worth moving to that other club. What does he want out of Management? I would think atm, he is at a club which has the potential to get promoted to the EFL & he has the experience to manage in Leagues 2 & 1. You'd think that would be an exciting prospect for him, assuming he's happy that he will get the backing from SD to do (reasonably) what he wants. He also knows that if he goes on a run of 6 straight defeats or whatever, unless he's turned all negative about the club, he's not going to be kicked out. Fallow periods often happen for Managers that are trying to change the playing system at a club.
If EFC did offer him a 2 or 3 year contract, or whatever, yes, it might give him more financial stability, but from the club's point of view it's not going to tie him inextricably to EFC, because we all know what can happen to a Manager in demand. I don't think (& I could be wrong) that Richard Hill has ever been under contract with EFC & contrary to what some might say, that has worked well for the club.
So, as long as AH is happy with the current situation, why change it?
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Post by michaelefc on Feb 13, 2018 11:03:33 GMT
6 defeats in a row spells the sack, no matter what the contract, what the club, what the situation, what the vibe. There is but one exception to this rule and that is Ian Holloway at QPR who has done it twice and still remains in the job. Not saying its right, its just the way it is. No manager of EFC will keep his job having lost 6 on the bounce.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2018 11:39:56 GMT
Could it be Michael the reason QPR has not sacked their manager after two runs of six consecutive defeats is because they can’t afford to?
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Post by nobadspitfire on Feb 13, 2018 11:40:34 GMT
Disagree, Michael. Can't give specific examples, but very often Managers lose their jobs on a bad run because they've lost interest, there's loads of injuries, he's not allowed to do what he wants & there's a negative vibe around the club etc etc. I'll give Lee Johnson at Bristol City as an example of a Manager having a poor run (autumn '16) and the club stuck with him because they knew he was changing the way the team played & was building for the future. It's a mark of a Manager and a club when things are going wrong that both keep their nerve, remain positive in the knowledge that things will work out for the best. Clearly that's what happened with the examples of Ollie at QPR. I think if we or someone with a deeper interest in football in general were to do a lot of digging, there'd be plenty of other examples of clubs sticking with Managers through very bad spells.
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Post by nobadspitfire on Feb 13, 2018 11:41:34 GMT
Could it be Michael the reason QPR has not sacked their manager after two runs of six consecutive defeats is because they can’t afford to? There's always that as a reason, as well.
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Post by rocky on Feb 13, 2018 19:46:32 GMT
Keep in the Top half this season, and then push on next season for a promotion challenge?
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Post by swb on Feb 14, 2018 9:04:57 GMT
I agree with most of what has been said about AH and a mid/high table finish. But what has pleased me since AH took over the team is the way we play. Even during our 2-0 reverse last Saturday our football was positive and entertaining and, for the most part, looked just as likely to score as Boring Wood.
Stuart and his management team are still pointing the club in the right direction and AH has got the team playing to win instead of not to lose.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 14, 2018 9:15:11 GMT
swb....you hit the nail right on the head about AH...playing to win instead of not to lose, he is positive and it reflects in the team performances.
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