Final thought on Critchley

In life opportunities can come along that make you stop, think and take stock. The chance to go back to a Premier League club with someone who obviously thinks highly of you with a very attractive salary. Working with high calibre players and developing their young talent in superior facilities and environment. Leaving aside my Blackpool allegiance, if I was in his position I would probably have done the same.

After the initial shock I am not angry but it is a reality check. Critchley has left us in a much better place than when he joined so we should thank him for that and wish him well. In fact, in a way it would have been much worse if he had left us to go to another Championship club like Blackburn or Burnley.
 
In respect of the extended contract and NC leaving only 7 months after signing it, most on here seem to think the club and Sadler are passive victims of NC’s duplicity? Perhaps it wasn’t like that? Maybe Sadler was expecting it?

If Sadler had got the impression that NC was not fully happy with a manager’s responsibilities, or had complained about the playing budget, or even had talked about his long-term career aims then perhaps the 4+ years extension was Sadler’s initiative in actively protecting the club’s interests knowing that we would get more compensation?

No doubt there would have also been a £££ bonus payment for NC in signing the longer deal with slightly higher salary and so it was win-win for BFC and NC. If there is one thing that we know Sadler is very good at, it’s hedging against the future’s possibilities. We are in a much better position than we would have been if Sadler had overlooked the risks and just hoped for the best.

All the badge-slapping and fist-pumping by NC is just the superficial fluffy side of the football entertainment business. It rarely matters inside where the decisions are made. Only the fans and Billy Ayre really seemed to care about that.
 
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“ Even when we are losing... it’s our fans we can hear singing”.... NC has lost my respect.... not for leaving....but for not having the decency to address the fans who have backed him 100%... even after Posh away!!!!!
I mistakenly classed him in the same bracket as the late Billy Ayre....we move on👍🧡
 
It’s just the manner is which he left 6 months after signing a 4+ year deal! You could understand it if the Oystons were still in charge…..

anyway - thanks, goodbye, good luck and we move on without you. shit commute down that M6 😄
 
JJpool said:
How does him leaving mean fist pumping after a win many months ago wasn't real?

He loved the club and the rapport, he's just decided to go back to a number 2.

Disappointing to not get a statement but would it make it better?

Read scraftons article.
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King Billy thanked the fans in the same way, irrespective of the result. He’d have been over to the 2500 fans after the awful performances at Birmingham, Derby and Preston, to mention just 3.

Critchley’s shallowness was all too obvious. He used the good publicity, at a club attracting positive attention, to bolster his reputation. When his approach was questioned for the first time, he got upset. The possibility of future public negativity did not fit with his profile.

What we’ve witnessed are the actions of a man who knew he didn’t have the ability as manager, through tougher times.

I wish him well and I’m happier now he’s gone.
 
Seainsea said:
In life opportunities can come along that make you stop, think and take stock. The chance to go back to a Premier League club with someone who obviously thinks highly of you with a very attractive salary. Working with high calibre players and developing their young talent in superior facilities and environment. Leaving aside my Blackpool allegiance, if I was in his position I would probably have done the same.

After the initial shock I am not angry but it is a reality check. Critchley has left us in a much better place than when he joined so we should thank him for that and wish him well. In fact, in a way it would have been much worse if he had left us to go to another Championship club like Blackburn or Burnley.
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Yep good post. Think pretty much the same. My brain logic tells me I can understand why he's gone to Villa. What I IFfind hard to accept is if it is true that he applied and was interviewed for the Blackburn job. If he was then he not only goes down massively in my opinion of him but also that there coild well be more to the whole situation with him and BFC. All supposition of course but why I would like to hear from both him and the club itself. It really is all rather too quiet on this for my liking.
 
Archibald Knox said:
In respect of the extended contract and NC leaving only 7 months after signing it, most on here seem to think the club and Sadler are passive victims of NC’s duplicity? Perhaps it wasn’t like that? Maybe Sadler was expecting it?

If Sadler had got the impression that NC was not fully happy with a manager’s responsibilities, or had complained about the playing budget, or even had talked about his long-term career aims then perhaps the 4+ years extension was Sadler’s initiative in actively protecting the club’s interests knowing that we would get more compensation?

No doubt there would have also been a £££ bonus payment for NC in signing the longer deal with slightly higher salary and so it was win-win for BFC and NC. If there is one thing that we know Sadler is very good at, it’s hedging against the future’s possibilities. We are in a much better position than we would have been if Sadler had overlooked the risks and just hoped for the best.

All the badge-slapping and fist-pumping by NC is just the superficial fluffy side of the football entertainment business. It rarely matters inside where the decisions are made. Only the fans and Billy Ayre really seemed to care about that.
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The most sensible post on this yet. Who knows what discussions took place around the contract extension, and if anyone should know about the best way to manage assets it would be a hedge fund manager. In football, contract extensions are often more around ensuring adequate compensation if someone moves on as opposed to tying someone down to a contract.
 
All I know is he seemed to age quickly in the job so maybe he did put too much in and found some aspects of being number one hard, so could have been only a matter of time before it weighed on his ability to deliver? Sadler has gotten plenty of bang for his buck with Critchley so let’s see what he gets out of the next man.

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Clappers I agree.

At the end of the day we dont know Critch. Its a tough job and he hadn't done it before.

The adoration of the fans the pressures of Championship management may have been too much. Thats no slight on him none of us are perfect.

The last two games were poor they may have hurt him badly. He looked seriously downbeat at the end of the Derby game. Who knows what he's like when he goes home. He may have been in a role and at a club which simply didnt suit him. He might just want to do his work without being in the limelight and if so Villa seems a perfect fit.

If so I wish him all the best. I was seriously cheesed off with the news that he had gone but have had time to reflect.

There might be more to it all of course we don't know but we should perhaps pause for a moment and think about the welfare of the individual.

Our club is in a great place with an ambitious supportive owner and a fantastic fanbase. The manager role will suit many and is a very attractive position for a young manager.

However is it the right role for a fairly quiet studious under 23 coach who doesnt want the limelight and just wants to coach ? Im not sure.

Yes Critch signed an extension to his contract in November. Lets not forget though that we weren't that far out of lockdown and playing behind closed doors for the majority of his tenure before then.
 
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More money that would give family financial security. Who wouldn't go for that?
Good luck to the fella but he has now given himself unfinished business.
That will haunt him.
 
Seainsea said:
In life opportunities can come along that make you stop, think and take stock. The chance to go back to a Premier League club with someone who obviously thinks highly of you with a very attractive salary. Working with high calibre players and developing their young talent in superior facilities and environment. Leaving aside my Blackpool allegiance, if I was in his position I would probably have done the same.

After the initial shock I am not angry but it is a reality check. Critchley has left us in a much better place than when he joined so we should thank him for that and wish him well. In fact, in a way it would have been much worse if he had left us to go to another Championship club like Blackburn or Burnley.
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Good post. 👍
 
Has he heard something about Blackpools future finances and has had the rug pulled from under him as news of Simon Saddlers company is in trouble.
 
Maybe SS had the same reservations as we did after the way the season fizzled out? He's one of us, after all.
 
Loco said:
Maybe SS had the same reservations as we did after the way the season fizzled out? He's one of us, after all.
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It definitely has the feel of when you're employing someone, they had their notice in and you're secretly happy to accept so you can start afresh.
 
Agree with most of what is being said now the anger is starting to calm down, however I cannot really ever forgive NC for leaving without any sort of explanation or message of thanks to the club and supporters, I think we deserved that for the support we gave him. Anything now this late will just feel very hollow 😡
 
Simple one for me He has built up a reputation for himself that will last a few years .He leaves and gets a shit load of money at Villa and if and when he gets the sack he will get another managers job at our level no probs so win win for him.
 
Goforgoal said:
As I said on another thread anyone is entitled to decide a job isn’t for them or they’re not up to it or just for more money. What I will never understand is why he signed a new contract and said he was delighted to do so. He then spouted all the guff about long term project, best fans, terrific owner, squad camaraderie etc. then did one as soon as a bigger club came along. I don’t carry grudges but I hope Villa are relegated and we batter them in the Championship.😜
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And that is what sticks in the craw, all utter b******t to play up to the fans.
 
Devonshire said:
Agree with most of what is being said now the anger is starting to calm down, however I cannot really ever forgive NC for leaving without any sort of explanation or message of thanks to the club and supporters, I think we deserved that for the support we gave him. Anything now this late will just feel very hollow 😡
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Will get no explanation from critchly Villa will control his media contact.
 
TonyParrsDodgyMic said:
I thought with all the training ground and East news that he'd be with us another 3/4 seasons to be honest. Still gutted.
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See I'm not gutted at all. It seems that he engineered this move and went without a goodbye, nor explanation why or kiss my arse. If of course he explains why he left and it was justified then still I'll still not be that gutted. I really do believe he had an air of the Simon Graysons about him. He picked up some good, promising players who were able to step up a level but he has taken them as far as his tactics allow in a higher division.

I mean what were the last 6-8 games all about? A 5-0 drubbing against a terrible relegated Peterborough. A 4-1 demolition by Forest (a bit more understandable). A gutless defeat against our biggest rivals and a spineless 2-0 loss to another relegated team (Derby) in front of the biggest home crowd of the season (50,000+ 🤣)

My take on the season just gone was that we scrapped to get some big victories by slender margins, we lost an incredible amount of points in the last few minutes and we looked completely toothless and disjointed at times. But overall it was a good season, 7/10 can do better. And I know some of that won't be popular but hey ho.
 
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