Act in haste, repent at leisure

ElBurroSinNombre

ElBurroSinNombre

Well-known member
The rather hurried sacking of Grayson is starting to look like a bad decision now. It always seemed a knee-jerk decision to me, given that we had just signed about ten players and won a game. Wouldn't it have been better to have lined up a replacement before giving him the boot as many clubs do?

So far we have let Nathan Jones give us the run around (that has wasted a couple of weeks) and we have now been turned down by Karl Robinson for the second time. All of this is making us look a little bit desperate and gives any half-credible candidate a big advantage when talking to the club. It all makes the club look rather amateurish to me and I really hope that we don't make a knee-jerk appointment after a knee-jerk sacking.

My suspicion that we may have a deal with Barrow to approach Evatt at the end of the season that cannot be publicised ATM for obvious reasons. I'm not sure why Mansford is so adamant that we won't be appointing Evatt whereas we will talk to someone like Rusk, it all seems a bit odd. I've nothing against Rusk who actually could be very good, but Evatt has achieved a lot in the number one role from a seemingly poor starting position just two leagues below us. Rusk must be doing a great job but has never been the focus of attention in his role.
 
The bad decision wasn't to sack Grayson, the lack of succession planning is the problem. We should have had someone ready to replace him. As for the overlooking of Evatt, I find it quite foolish, almost as if they want their own man at any cost. That's Jones, Robinson and Wellens who have now fobbed us off publicly.
 
Not sure sacking Grayson was knee jerk tbh. The entire season, even when grinding out results we were never playong the attacking type of football that Sadler (or the fans wanted) and then we went on that dreadful run after the Fleetwood win for two months. So I doubt it was knee jerk. I do agree however that we should have had someone lined up and ready to step in to the job straight away. Maybe they did? Maybe Jones was lined up and he changed his mind? Who knows? But I am sure the board and Sadler will get this right.
 
NewburyOne said:
The bad decision wasn't to sack Grayson, the lack of succession planning is the problem. We should have had someone ready to replace him. As for the overlooking of Evatt, I find it quite foolish, almost as if they want their own man at any cost. That's Jones, Robinson and Wellens who have now fobbed us off publicly.
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Newbury, do you think we may not be as attractive an opportunity as we may think? With years of protests could we have a reputation of being quite militant? Must admit I was surprised Jones didn't come as he is out of work so wonder what the real reason is?

Not surprised about KR and RW as they are on the verge of promotion with their teams, something that doesn't happen too often.
 
'We've let Nathan Jones give us the runaround for the last 2 weeks'.
Have we? Didn't the boards rep approach Oxford on Tuesday but Oxford didn't tell him until after the matches on Tuesday or Wednesday?
He's only just found out about the approach so how has he given us the run around?😒
 
Davepick said:
'We've let Nathan Jones give us the runaround for the last 2 weeks'.
Have we? Didn't the boards rep approach Oxford on Tuesday but Oxford didn't tell him until after the matches on Tuesday or Wednesday?
He's only just found out about the approach so how has he given us the run around?😒
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Nathan Jones doesn't have a club Dave. Karl Robinson is at Oxford.
 
Ghosts of Electricity said:
Newbury, do you think we may not be as attractive an opportunity as we may think? With years of protests could we have a reputation of being quite militant? Must admit I was surprised Jones didn't come as he is out of work so wonder what the real reason is?

Not surprised about KR and RW as they are on the verge of promotion with their teams, something that doesn't happen too often.
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To a certain extent but I think most managers would do due diligence and realise we are a far more attractive option now. I guess the only fear would be expectations are higher, if they can't handle that though, they needn't apply.
 
Shouldn't we have kept Grayson whilst we explored these possibilities?
Then one of two things could have happened;
- Grayson starts winning with the new transfer window players so we don't need to recruit
- Grayson carries on losing and is fired, but a new man is in post within a week

ATM It just looks amateurish. Getting turned down in public by several different managers is slightly humiliating.
I wouldn't be too surprised to see Dunn getting the job TBH. If it turns out that there is no-one suitable available and he keeps improving the team and we get a few good results it is certainly possible. Unbeaten in two matches now!
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
ATM It just looks amateurish. Getting turned down in public by several different managers is slightly humiliating.
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We've not been turned down in public by several managers. Wellens hasn't opened his mouth, neither has Nathan Jones.
Stop exaggerating.
 
Ah for the good old days when you sacked your manager , then placed a job advert in all the daily papers a week later inviting written applications. Swiftly followed weeks later after the application expiry date by looking at the wretches who had written in . Formal interviews then over an extended period before selecting someone with who terms couldn't be agreed . And start again . Yes , that's how it was done back in the day !
 
I can't think of any reason why we are in a worse position now than what we were under Grayson.

The mood around the club has lifted, and there is now an air of optimism knowing the board are actively trying to pursue high profile (for this level) candidates.

That has to be better than stumbling from one half arsed, confused, mixed up formation - performance to the next.

Results and performances *might* have picked up under Grayson, but we don't know they would have. With Dunn now in charge, they actually have.
 
I never felt it was the right time to bin SG, straight after the January window was crazy IMO, for me the board should of just carried on with SG till the end of the season as it was all but over anyway and spent time scouting the manager merry go round on the quiet. You never know who might come available at the end of the season. Plodding on with Dunn is no different to persevering with SG.
 
Scaramanga said:
I never felt it was the right time to bin SG, straight after the January window was crazy IMO, for me the board should of just carried on with SG till the end of the season as it was all but over anyway and spent time scouting the manager merry go round on the quiet. You never know who might come available at the end of the season. Plodding on with Dunn is no different to persevering with SG.
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Sorry but SG had to go, imagine if we had stuck with him till the end of the season and then approached the likes of Robinson and Wellens only to be told ‘no’ we would have had the new season bearing down on us with nothing to work with. This may take some time but whoever comes in should / will have a full pre season to prepare.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
Shouldn't we have kept Grayson whilst we explored these possibilities?
Then one of two things could have happened;
- Grayson starts winning with the new transfer window players so we don't need to recruit
- Grayson carries on losing and is fired, but a new man is in post within a week

ATM It just looks amateurish. Getting turned down in public by several different managers is slightly humiliating.
I wouldn't be too surprised to see Dunn getting the job TBH. If it turns out that there is no-one suitable available and he keeps improving the team and we get a few good results it is certainly possible. Unbeaten in two matches now!
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Only Jones has turned us down. The other managers were not allowed to talk to us.
Fact.
 
We have played better and got results. Great decision to hurry!!! We won’t be without a manager for long!
 
No, the stand-in manager has got the players playing with more confidence, with a recognisable formation,and has got 4 points. We can stop looking over our shoulders and enjoy the football, whilst the CEO gets his act together and gets us a decent manager for next season.
 
The decision to sack Grayson was the right one IMO
Losing out on Jones has created a lacuna however as I see it chasing managers in role at this stage of the season is always going to be problematic- who wants to release their manager at a critical stage of the season ? Thankfully we don’t need to rush as we aren’t going up or down whilst Dunn is clearly more than capable of holding the reins
Time to back off until the end of the season.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
The decision to sack Grayson was the right one IMO
Losing out on Jones has created a lacuna however as I see it chasing managers in role at this stage of the season is always going to be problematic- who wants to release their manager at a critical stage of the season ? Thankfully we don’t need to rush as we aren’t going up or down whilst Dunn is clearly more than capable of holding the reins
Time to back off until the end of the season.
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Agree with all that TAM.

To some extent it's been a season wasted [on field] so it's vital we make the right choice as a new manager and try and make up for lost time and get moving forward on the field.

No other way to put it but Grayson was an absolute disaster and I was one who fully supported his appointment.
 
BlackpoolFC said:
Only Jones has turned us down. The other managers were not allowed to talk to us.
Fact.
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The fact Wellens has signed a new contract at Swindon tells me all I need to know.

It’s pretty clear Sadler/Mansford had Jones lined up as their No1 target it’s a crying shame no one actually made the effort and talked to him first prior to Grayson being potted.
 
Jaffa_The_Hut said:
The fact Wellens has signed a new contract at Swindon tells me all I need to know.

It’s pretty clear Sadler/Mansford had Jones lined up as their No1 target it’s a crying shame no one actually made the effort and talked to him first prior to Grayson being potted.
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Disagree Shed. Talking to Jones first made no difference whatsoever. Grayson had to go and a temporary manager such as Dunn is better than Grayson.
 
Scaramanga said:
I never felt it was the right time to bin SG, straight after the January window was crazy IMO, for me the board should of just carried on with SG till the end of the season as it was all but over anyway and spent time scouting the manager merry go round on the quiet. You never know who might come available at the end of the season. Plodding on with Dunn is no different to persevering with SG.
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I agree with this. I only would have sacked him if we were in dire relegation trouble. Which I doubt it would have come to. However I’m disappointed with Simon Grayson this time round. We move on just be patient.
 
TwelveAngryMen said:
The decision to sack Grayson was the right one IMO
Losing out on Jones has created a lacuna however as I see it chasing managers in role at this stage of the season is always going to be problematic- who wants to release their manager at a critical stage of the season ? Thankfully we don’t need to rush as we aren’t going up or down whilst Dunn is clearly more than capable of holding the reins
Time to back off until the end of the season.
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It may well have been the right decision to sack him at some point but can you explain why he was sacked just one week after the transfer window closed when we had just recruited 10 new players. Did Grayson have any input into those signings? If he did have input sacking him looks like a knee-jerk reaction to a bad result. Either sack him before the window or give him a chance with the 'tools' that he chose.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
It may well have been the right decision to sack him at some point but can you explain why he was sacked just one week after the transfer window closed when we had just recruited 10 new players. Did Grayson have any input into those signings? If he did have input sacking him looks like a knee-jerk reaction to a bad result. Either sack him before the window or give him a chance with the 'tools' that he chose.
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Yep, I accept the timing of it seems odd but nevertheless it was for me the right decision. He'd had long enough to turn it round so for me no point in giving him any longer. Just one thought. Could he have lost the dressing room? Our negative tactics could have caused disquiet.
 
You might be right there 20's

As I have said on the podcast if SG spoke to the players like he spoke to the press towards the end I can imagine training must have been very dull - he seemed to have run out of ideas

As for recruitment - who knows With BM and TJ in role and us now looking to re-title the next manager as Head Coach my guess is SG won't have had as much input as in the summer
 
This scenario is what I am afraid of;
So we get a new guy, say Hecky or Evo or whoever, who has his own ideas about things and wants to bring in a few players that he rates to put his plans into action. He sidelines a few of the players that we have just signed (think Tollit, Yusuf etc. under Grayson) and brings a few new boys in during the summer. Money and time has been wasted but it's OK because we have a new regime and we are starting over. There is a brief honeymoon period whilst everyone feels optimistic. Bad results are excused, players and results will improve people say. However things don't quite go to plan immediately, the new boys need to be blooded and fitted into a system. But as players find their feet we have a bad run, fans get restless, pressure builds and Hecky or Evo or whoever gets potted after another bad performance. And so we go into the same cycle again.

This is what so many clubs do, the strategy is to keep rolling the dice until you get lucky with an appointment.

I would prefer a more measured, longer term strategy
 
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