Calderwood has made the difference...

Marcodan

Well-known member
in recent form. Critchley would have persisted with his boy's game and his tenure would have been very much in doubt. Calderwood is a hardened processional in the man's game and would have had several strong words in Neil's ear. Where we are in this league will be revealed in the next several, tougher games. We will need our best players available to step up to the plate and deliver.
 
Yes, it is noticeable that the improvements happened almost a soon as CC arrived.
We seem to have a good management team now. 👍
 
Yes, it is noticeable that the improvements happened almost a soon as CC arrived.
We seem to have a good management team now. 👍
It really looks like it was almost an instant change as he only was appointed on 30th October & we won the day after. All seems positive, dare I say!
 
I reckon CC did his home work and daresay he proposed his changes to NC and that's helped. We played good football but were toothless. Now we are more direct and playing players in their correct positions (bar Turton in midfield but that was due to numbers)

Kaikai is being given licence to roam and do what he likes. Madine and Yates are forming a partnership and we're closing out games without conceding. A winning mentality is great to have but we have proper tests coming up now so let's see where we are by Christmas as to whether it's a play off push or consolodation season.
 
in recent form. Critchley would have persisted with his boy's game and his tenure would have been very much in doubt. Calderwood is a hardened processional in the man's game and would have had several strong words in Neil's ear. Where we are in this league will be revealed in the next several, tougher games. We will need our best players available to step up to the plate and deliver.
Or maybe just maybe its a coincidence

He was appointed and the day after we won.

Cant see him having that much influence in short short space.
 
Must be some boy with a turn around that quick, all hail the messiah CC, how did all the those football clubs miss that one. I would suggest he’s had an impact no doubt but let’s not get carried away. Some would have you think NC is 12 years old and knows nowt about football. I would suggest otherwise.
 
I reckon CC did his home work and daresay he proposed his changes to NC and that's helped. We played good football but were toothless. Now we are more direct and playing players in their correct positions (bar Turton in midfield but that was due to numbers)

Kaikai is being given licence to roam and do what he likes. Madine and Yates are forming a partnership and we're closing out games without conceding. A winning mentality is great to have but we have proper tests coming up now so let's see where we are by Christmas as to whether it's a play off push or consolodation season.

I think turton plays better in midfield than defence.
 
Or maybe just maybe its a coincidence

He was appointed and the day after we won.

Cant see him having that much influence in short short space.
I can.

CC said he had watched a lot of L1 football this season- which obviously included every ball we have kicked.

He wasn't hired without his thoughts being asked. If NC was involved in that discussion I'm sure CC told him what he'd do. After that time will have passed whilst BFC and CC decided whether to proceed. And even in that time NC and CC would have spoken.
 
I would say it's due to the fact the last 3 games have been against an amateur side and the bottom two of the league, the next two games are against tough opposition away from home and if we lose it will be all doom and gloom again.
 
If it's all down to Calderwood...presumably the manager will be exempt from blame when the next defeat or two comes?

Or is it when we win it's all credit to CC, and when we lose it's Critchley's fault?
Not saying it’s all down to CC, but he probably persuaded NC to face up to the reality of league 1 football. NC may be a great coach who can bring the best out of players, however neither he nor anyone else can coach players beyond their ability. A certain amount of tippy tappy is all well and good, but at times grinding out a result is the only option. I think CC knows the difference Critchley clearly didn’t, he is now beginning to be more realistic about his squads ability.
 
Not saying it’s all down to CC, but he probably persuaded NC to face up to the reality of league 1 football. NC may be a great coach who can bring the best out of players, however neither he nor anyone else can coach players beyond their ability. A certain amount of tippy tappy is all well and good, but at times grinding out a result is the only option. I think CC knows the difference Critchley clearly didn’t, he is now beginning to be more realistic about his squads ability.
Except there is no way Calderwood would have had that level of influence in time for the Burton game, where we started to show the newer more joined up way of playing.
 
Except there is no way Calderwood would have had that level of influence in time for the Burton game, where we started to show the newer more joined up way of playing.
As a previous poster said, ideas will have been bounced around before appointment. I don’t pretend to know, just my opinion.
 
Must be some boy with a turn around that quick, all hail the messiah CC, how did all the those football clubs miss that one. I would suggest he’s had an impact no doubt but let’s not get carried away. Some would have you think NC is 12 years old and knows nowt about football. I would suggest otherwise.
I'm glad you've said that. The patronising of NC on here has got properly out of order, from some.
 
I'm not sure why we're talking about some massive turnaround to be honest. Things were never quite as bad as some made out, and they're not as good as some are saying now. After the Ipswich game, we started playing more direct with two holding midfielders, which was a couple of games before CC arrived. That's it. It isn't anything more than that, and the decision to do that was Critchley's. It could've been on advice, we don't know. But if it was, he could've chosen to ignore that advice. It's shown he isn't stubborn which is a good thing.

CC may have a positive impact at the club. But I'd suggest we haven't really turned anything around yet. We've merely had some good results against lesser sides, and Critchley deserves a little credit for being open to trying something different. Nothing more than that really. I have to agree with some comments that there seems to be some kind of underlying vendetta against Critchley in the tone of some message on here. Maybe he's the new Nuttall.
 
I would say it's due to the fact the last 3 games have been against an amateur side and the bottom two of the league, the next two games are against tough opposition away from home and if we lose it will be all doom and gloom again.
And our results against lower than us in the league!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARE USUALLY DIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I think the last few results are far better than we anticipated pre"CC"
 
I'm not sure why we're talking about some massive turnaround to be honest. Things were never quite as bad as some made out, and they're not as good as some are saying now. After the Ipswich game, we started playing more direct with two holding midfielders, which was a couple of games before CC arrived. That's it. It isn't anything more than that, and the decision to do that was Critchley's. It could've been on advice, we don't know. But if it was, he could've chosen to ignore that advice. It's shown he isn't stubborn which is a good thing.

CC may have a positive impact at the club. But I'd suggest we haven't really turned anything around yet. We've merely had some good results against lesser sides, and Critchley deserves a little credit for being open to trying something different. Nothing more than that really. I have to agree with some comments that there seems to be some kind of underlying vendetta against Critchley in the tone of some message on here. Maybe he's the new Nuttall.
Very well said, sir 👍
 
Calderwood was particularly impressive in arriving at the club Friday afternoon and then changing the system and personnel on the bus to Burton without having ever met or seen any of the players play. A proper football man obviously. And credit to Critchley for just going along with it all without interfering.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Critchley slightly adapted his style and had the services of a genuine defensive midfielder. We're not playing any better now than we did at the start of the season but we're not making really stupid mistakes anymore and we have better options in central defence and aren't playing the third-choice left-back.
 
Does it really matter if he's the one that's made the difference or not? As long as they are both listening to each other and doing their job then hopefully we will make progress and that's all that counts. They are a team.
The difference since CC's arrival is that we're scoring goals, winning games, gathering points, gaining in confidence and climbing the table. You can only beat what's in front of you. It's a results based business, something CC is well aware of and Academy based NC perhaps not so much. Hopefully it'll be another Mercer/Allison or Taylor/Clough combo arrangement. Can't understand this NC love-in. Pre CC, Neil's football was sterile, dull, tippy tappy in the first two thirds and punch less and goal shy in the final third. We we're plummeting like a lead stone. Thank god we've had an upturn in fortune. The real tests will come in the next month or so. Long live the dynamic duo.
 
I would say it's due to the fact the last 3 games have been against an amateur side and the bottom two of the league, the next two games are against tough opposition away from home and if we lose it will be all doom and gloom again.

I wouldn't want to knock the recent positive results but yes when we have a bad result Critchley will be fit to burn and when we win he will be the messiah.

From Mike Bassett to Jurgen Klopp in a minutes and back again in seconds.

To be fair, I wouldn't say that's exclusive to AVFTT, it's the whole FIFA/Facebook generation - when they are on a bad run they switch their computers off and back on again.
 
Whoever is responsible for this sudden upturn in form whether it be because the teams we've played are at the lower end of the spectrum or not, I'm over the moon with the sudden upturn in form. Now, we just need to persuade Referees that we aren't the only team on the pitch that has to be given yellow and particularly red cards.
 
The difference since CC's arrival is that we're scoring goals, winning games, gathering points, gaining in confidence and climbing the table. You can only beat what's in front of you. It's a results based business, something CC is well aware of and Academy based NC perhaps not so much. Hopefully it'll be another Mercer/Allison or Taylor/Clough combo arrangement. Can't understand this NC love-in. Pre CC, Neil's football was sterile, dull, tippy tappy in the first two thirds and punch less and goal shy in the final third. We we're plummeting like a lead stone. Thank god we've had an upturn in fortune. The real tests will come in the next month or so. Long live the dynamic duo.
NC is fully aware that it is a results business I am sure, he has been involved in football for a long time and comes from a club that has set a new benchmark for winning mentality. And there is no NC love in, just an attempt to be objective, I think. There are a number of reasons why results have improved, and NC is one of them. A key one.
 
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I'm glad you've said that. The patronising of NC on here has got properly out of order, from some.
Not sure it's patronising
Calderwood was particularly impressive in arriving at the club Friday afternoon and then changing the system and personnel on the bus to Burton without having ever met or seen any of the players play. A proper football man obviously. And credit to Critchley for just going along with it all without interfering.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Critchley slightly adapted his style and had the services of a genuine defensive midfielder. We're not playing any better now than we did at the start of the season but we're not making really stupid mistakes anymore and we have better options in central defence and aren't playing the third-choice left-back.
You say about the real world, but Calderwood wasn't walking down BR Friday afternoon when someone in the club shop happened to sellotape an A4 sheet of paper with 'HIRING: WANTED EXPERIENCED COACH TO HELP EXISTING HEAD COACH' to the window and CC went mmmmm.....and walked in.

I actually wouldn't be surprised if he was hired earlier but the announcement held back.
 
Still much to do with us just 4 points above the bottom four and 9 points off a play off place. The next 4 games will test Critchley and his players to the limit. Will we move up or down the league?
 
Not sure it's patronising

I actually wouldn't be surprised if he was hired earlier but the announcement held back.
Some of it is patronising. Like he's a gentle little infant teacher struggling to get his voice heard in a room full of rowdy parents.

Critch said after the CC appointment that he brought him in and it was always his intention to bring in someone. You can believe that or not.
 
Has he done any interviews since he came in - don't seem to have read any?
Let's have an interview with Calderwood. Has anyone seen him? Does he give instructions from the touch line? Is he animated and gee up the players? Is he full time, on a contract or just visits in a consultancy capacity? It all seems so very mysterious. So long as we keep winning s'pose that's all that really matters. UTMP
 
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