Have we all forgiven Critchley now?

I really am disappointed in myself as to how quickly I have allowed Crtichley to win me round. I was hoping for an appropriate period of grudging acceptance at the very least followed by some thawing in temperature. But no he has to go and start hotter than Heather Thomas emerging from behind a set of Saloon Doors in The Fall Guy.
 
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voyeur said:
I've never had a problem with him since the day he first arrived. 😉

If he can sort his wing backs out (and I'm sure he will) we should be in for better football this time round but i always liked the fact that we were very competitive under critch v1. Small budgets require a degree of pragmatism. Which applied in the Championship. I think he is a smart coach, he knows what is attainable with the resources he has.
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I can't be @rsed trawling through the whole thread and I'd go with that almost word for word Voy.

All I would add is that although I'm in the "all about winning" camp, I thought that we were very very boring in the Championship.

All the excitement came from hanging on for three points or even a draw and certainly not from the style of football.

To be fair, we survived very easily despite a questionable start and maybe I should be giving Critch more credit for that ?
 
clappers said:
I really am disappointed in myself as to how quickly I have allowed Crtichley to win me round. I was hoping for an appropriate period of grudging acceptance at the very least followed by some thawing in temperature. But no he has to go and start hotter than Heather Thomas emerging from behind a set of Saloon Doors in The Fall Guy.
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Or even Lili von Schtupp in Blazing Saddles 👍
 
20togo said:
successful managers will always be looked at by bigger clubs so if he can get us promoted again and have a decent season or two in the Championship then it's likely that he'll be coveted by these bigger clubs. That's the way it works. But he's a manager now and it's only for that position he should move on with a slight caveat that maybe as a no 2 at one of the big clubs,ie big six, would perhaps be ok. Because let's face it at best at Villa he was only a no 3.
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I'd agree with all that except if Al Spendafortune needed a new number 4 and it was in his and his family's best interests for him to take such a job then I think he should and would take it.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Personally I wasn't that bothered when he left and certainly didn't take it as personal as some

Most on here were devastated and didn't want him back at all comparing it to their Mrs leaving for someone else

So is he forgiven?

He's certainly come back different to how he left, it's a change in shape for a start and we appear to be playing a more attacking brand of football

He has that glint in his eye and his interviews also seem more honest than before

I like this new Critchley, the experience of him being away has done him good and all seems rosy in the garden at the moment
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Phil. You’ve just brightened my day no end. And confirmed everything I’ve ever believed. Top class entertainer.
 
clappers said:
I really am disappointed in myself as to how quickly I have allowed Crtichley to win me round. I was hoping for an appropriate period of grudging acceptance at the very least followed by some thawing in temperature. But no he has to go and start hotter than Heather Thomas emerging from behind a set of Saloon Doors in The Fall Guy.
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It’s good for your mental health not to hold grudges, so he’s done you a favour 😆
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
I can't be @rsed trawling through the whole thread and I'd go with that almost word for word Voy.

All I would add is that although I'm in the "all about winning" camp, I thought that we were very very boring in the Championship.

All the excitement came from hanging on for three points or even a draw and certainly not from the style of football.

To be fair, we survived very easily despite a questionable start and maybe I should be giving Critch more credit for that ?
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Well it was only one season and it eas our fitst seadon back, trying to establish ourselves with a very small budget for the division. We weng toe to toe with much more expensive teams and surely thats as much as you could expect. It felt to me like it was taken for granted very quickly and the criticism of style started very early. Critch had no attacking midfiekder in his squad and we still relied a lot on Madine up front. He put together a Championship team in a very short time with free transfers and a few fees in the 100 to 700k range. The criticism was pretty ridiculous in my opinion. I think anothef advantage of NC leaving is that our critical fans value him more now, as well as him valuing the club more. Even Phil seems fully on board, who'd o' thought? 😀
 
Before I start, I wanted Stephen Dobbie to remain as manager, but we've got Neil Critchley back. I was hoping there wasn't going to be a fist pump after the win, but it was somehow always going to happen.
I thought the first half against Burton was brilliant, but the way we played after the break was very poor, and I always had the feeling we would concede a goal, then really struggle to win. Our jittery second half seemed to coincide with the Pennington injury.
Although the lads had a good win at Derby too, I only consider league matches to be proper games, and we have three points from one.
Exeter will be a tough nut to crack, and if we win there, I think we can go on a good run. Neil Critchley could yet make me think that appointing him again is a good decision.
The jury is out for the moment.
🧡UTMP🧡
 
I wanted Dobbie as I’ve said many times but it’s starting to look like Sadlers got this right this time. Of course Critchley was partly responsible for the shitstorm that was last season in the fact he left, but I would probably have done for more money. I’m coming round to his reappointment but I do wonder why he didn’t want the job when Appleton was sacked as I believe he was approached. A relegation on his CV perhaps? He’s here now & has my full support.
 
Didn’t particular want him back but in hindsight he’s probably the best man for the job. We’re only two games in and there’s already more of a feel good factor after two games than there was 90% of last season. Win a few more and it’ll be like he never left
 
I bleed Tangerine said:
Always liked the guy and I'm sure I never called him a snake or anything. 🙄
In all seriousness though, football is reactionary alot of the time and I didn't react well to him leaving. However, as soon as he came back then I was right behind him again. I think that's how football is alot of the time, you can have a player that you despise, but if they come and play for you then all is forgiven.
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Can't wait for James McLean to sign next season 🤯
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Personally I wasn't that bothered when he left and certainly didn't take it as personal as some

Most on here were devastated and didn't want him back at all comparing it to their Mrs leaving for someone else

So is he forgiven?

He's certainly come back different to how he left, it's a change in shape for a start and we appear to be playing a more attacking brand of football

He has that glint in his eye and his interviews also seem more honest than before

I like this new Critchley, the experience of him being away has done him good and all seems rosy in the garden at the moment
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Win games and i’m sure I’ll start joining in the nauseating badge tapping and fist pumping by the end of the season
 
Neil Critchley is probably the best coach Blackpool have had for many years. His attention to detail is very detailed and the teams he puts on the field are always well organised and often well set to deal with the opposition teams we face. All the players seem to know exactly what their specific job required of them.
To me, his strengths remind me of the way Eddie Howe approaches Football Management and that is meant as a great compliment. I am delighted he is back with us.

I was disappointed in the way he left us for Villa after signing a long term contract with us and with the relationship he was building with the fan base. It is early in the new season and i believe we have been favoured with a moderately easy set of fixtures to open with. Hopefully he will have developed a greater sense of loyalty to a club and chairman who have shown faith in him but I am grateful that Simon Sadler has appointed him again because I feel there is in greater sense of purpose in the direction the Club is moving.

Stan53
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Some good comments

I think with the squad we have we should be up there as the Burton fan said to me on Saturday that first half was as good as anything he had seen in lg 1 last season

As I said the other day the club appears to have the feel good factor back and we have a very solid group of players for this league

The only thing that could derail us in my opinion is Critchley himself
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Its a really good O/P Phil.
 
I was in the camp of “he’s going to have to earn it all back” but I’m loving how he’s going about things at the minute. Maybe the stronger squad he’s inheriting this time round has helped him play more “his” style?
 
Lost Seasider said:
Slightly O/T, but if he'd stayed, do we think he'd have survived last season?

My guess is no.
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Maybe not but how can we know? He may have switched to 532 and brought some attacking midfielders in and another striker or two. We may have gone up another notch after a re-fresh.
 
Stan53 said:
Neil Critchley is probably the best coach Blackpool have had for many years. His attention to detail is very detailed and the teams he puts on the field are always well organised and often well set to deal with the opposition teams we face. All the players seem to know exactly what their specific job required of them.
To me, his strengths remind me of the way Eddie Howe approaches Football Management and that is meant as a great compliment. I am delighted he is back with us.

I was disappointed in the way he left us for Villa after signing a long term contract with us and with the relationship he was building with the fan base. It is early in the new season and i believe we have been favoured with a moderately easy set of fixtures to open with. Hopefully he will have developed a greater sense of loyalty to a club and chairman who have shown faith in him but I am grateful that Simon Sadler has appointed him again because I feel there is in greater sense of purpose in the direction the Club is moving.

Stan53
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Very much like Howe… and look how Howe’s short departure from Bournemouth to Burnley worked out…
 
voyeur said:
Well it was only one season and it eas our fitst seadon back, trying to establish ourselves with a very small budget for the division. We weng toe to toe with much more expensive teams and surely thats as much as you could expect. It felt to me like it was taken for granted very quickly and the criticism of style started very early. Critch had no attacking midfiekder in his squad and we still relied a lot on Madine up front. He put together a Championship team in a very short time with free transfers and a few fees in the 100 to 700k range. The criticism was pretty ridiculous in my opinion. I think anothef advantage of NC leaving is that our critical fans value him more now, as well as him valuing the club more. Even Phil seems fully on board, who'd o' thought? 😀
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Voy

Yes, all fair and good points again.

I have not forgiven Critch because he hadn't done anything wrong in the first place, nearly all of us would change jobs for a few more quid and the rest are liars.

Not doubt he did a good/great job in getting us promoted and easily staying in the Championship the next season but I'm still saying the football in the Championship was very very boring.

Please don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate that boring and staying up is far better than entertaining and getting relegated but it's still boring and nothing is going to change my mind.
 
No-one can deny what Critch has done for BFC but I know two other things as well. If we had recruited almost any except Appleton we'd have forgot all about him. He's done good things so far and I hope he'll getus to the plaoffs at least. The big but is even if we win L1 I'm never going him, my problem of course and I will be cheering him but he really grinds my gears. I feel better now.
 
Lost Seasider said:
Slightly O/T, but if he'd stayed, do we think he'd have survived last season?

My guess is no.
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That's a good question Lost.

I think if he'd stayed, just the continuity of him still being manager would have been a positive and possibly enough for us to have survived.

None of us will ever know the answer and I'm sure plenty will agree with your good self.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
Voy

Yes, all fair and good points again.

I have not forgiven Critch because he hadn't done anything wrong in the first place, nearly all of us would change jobs for a few more quid and the rest are liars.

Not doubt he did a good/great job in getting us promoted and easily staying in the Championship the next season but I'm still saying the football in the Championship was very very boring.

Please don't get me wrong, I fully appreciate that boring and staying up is far better than entertaining and getting relegated but it's still boring and nothing is going to change my mind.
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That's cool you are entitled to your opinion. I think it was very pragmatic but i dont think it was as boring as some make out, there were plenty of intense games that were edge of seat to the final whistle, and i think some patience would be a good thing too. It was a very tough task to adjust to the Championship with a low budget squad and Rome was not built within a 24 hour period with Big Gaz doing the spadework. Critch needed the tools to go more expansive.
 
SEASIDE2020 said:
That's a good question Lost.

I think if he'd stayed, just the continuity of him still being manager would have been a positive and possibly enough for us to have survived.

None of us will ever know the answer and I'm sure plenty will agree with your good self.
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My thoughts are that he'd have faced the same problems that Appleton had, namely a summer transfer window that didn't happen and a raft of injuries to the players that he did have, and the result would've been much the same.
 
Lost Seasider said:
My thoughts are that he'd have faced the same problems that Appleton had, namely a summer transfer window that didn't happen and a raft of injuries to the players that he did have, and the result would've been much the same.
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Nah. He's a far better coach than Appleton as we can all see with our bare eyes. Appleton dismantled a structure that worked and built a sandcastle. Below the tideline. Critch would have recruited differently and set us up differently, and adapted his system with new additions. And not destroyed the confidence of the players. We werent that far off staying up despite being god awful. I don't believe we would have gone down with Critch.
 
voyeur said:
Nah. He's a far better coach than Appleton as we can all see with our bare eyes. Appleton dismantled a structure that worked and built a sandcastle. Below the tideline. Critch would have recruited differently and set us up differently, and adapted his system with new additions. And not destroyed the confidence of the players. We werent that far off staying up despite being god awful. I don't believe we would have gone down with Critch.
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Absolutely Spot on...

We saw the resilience in the system and the coaching with Critchley insomuch as players were rotated in and out of the matchday squad / team with ease. Every player was well drilled, we always had a clear plan and (as simple as it sounds) they all knew what they were supposed to be doing and did it.

The contrast with Appleton couldn't have been more stark really, we looked all over the show... And whilst that made for a couple of exciting games, it was largely just a chaotic mess. The less said about the bloke who followed the better, but it's good to see a squad that has regained a sense of identity and confidence and a coach / manager who actually seems to have half a clue what he's doing.
 
I was gutted he left. Angry at the manor of his departure but was pleased when we took him back. If he does as well as he did last time with us then i'll be more than happy.
 
voyeur said:
That's cool you are entitled to your opinion. I think it was very pragmatic but i dont think it was as boring as some make out, there were plenty of intense games that were edge of seat to the final whistle, and i think some patience would be a good thing too. It was a very tough task to adjust to the Championship with a low budget squad and Rome was not built within a 24 hour period with Big Gaz doing the spadework. Critch needed the tools to go more expansive.
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Good and fair points again Voy but it was still boring.

I appreciate that when I was sat in the North wishing I was in the pub, Critchley was more concerned with getting as many points as possible than he was in entertaining me.

I think we agree on everything but I was maybe a little more bored than you were.
 
Lost Seasider said:
My thoughts are that he'd have faced the same problems that Appleton had, namely a summer transfer window that didn't happen and a raft of injuries to the players that he did have, and the result would've been much the same.
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That's fair enough Lost.

I just think that we had been successful under Critch and part of the feel good factor within the squad would have been taken away by his departure.

It's up to the replacement manager to ensure that the positives from the previous regime are maintained - or bettered - and I'm not sure that actually happened.

Even allowing for second season syndrome - I'm not sure there is such a thing and surely it's not as hard to overcome as first season syndrome ? - I think under Critch we'd probably have enough to survive.

I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest we'd have stayed up or to suggest we'd have been relegated under Critch, I'd imagine any poll would be nearly 50/50 and we'll never know what would have happened.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Personally I wasn't that bothered when he left and certainly didn't take it as personal as some

Most on here were devastated and didn't want him back at all comparing it to their Mrs leaving for someone else

So is he forgiven?

He's certainly come back different to how he left, it's a change in shape for a start and we appear to be playing a more attacking brand of football

He has that glint in his eye and his interviews also seem more honest than before

I like this new Critchley, the experience of him being away has done him good and all seems rosy in the garden at the moment
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Decent thread this. He’s definitely come back bang up for it and probably feels like he’s got a point to prove.

I never actually was that arsed when he left,. Let’s get it right, there’s no loyalty in football- both ways. Every manager is only ever a few results away from fans wanting them out. I fully understood it financially, it was the fuck ups in the board room that cost us not him.

The lost of candidates this summer was the pits, so he made perfect sense. Soon, as he did the Radio Lancs video it was a clean slate as it was all getting a bit painful to watch him having to try and redeem himself.

I just want to see a team that attack and use the ball well as well as not crumbling in defence. Dougall said pre-season that NC ensures the players know their roles inside out and you can see it. He makes tactical tweaks that our impressive. He worked out how to free Josh Bowler up wide and get an overload, something that old duffer McCarthy couldn’t do or attempt to even try.

He gives me confidence NC. He’s a great coach it seems and tactically clued up. He makes bizarre selections and choices sometimes but they usually come off.

In any job, if you trust and believe in your Manager, you get buy-in straight away. That’s why he struggled at QPR as that squad are hard work & bluffers. Our squad are honest players, we’ve added some quality and look like so far like we have plan and believe in it.

It’s the total opposite to last season.

I hope we keep this up as I still feel robbed from the nonsense rules of 2021 that meant we never got to witness the unbeaten run and some of the football we played from January onwards. That would’ve been special to witness but people were too busy following arrows on the floor and hanging on Matt Hancock’s every word. Anyway I digress…

I hope this season is as good as that one and with a good start it could be even better…
 
Lost Seasider said:
Slightly O/T, but if he'd stayed, do we think he'd have survived last season?

My guess is no.
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We were struggling badly by the end of his last season with us so it's an interesting one.

Sadler might have kept the faith and backed him instead of bringing in a bunch of children on loan + Dom Thompson. I hope he's planning to back other managers he works with in the future, not just Critchley.
 
Him going has taught me not to get too attached to a manager. One day he’ll be off again, either by the attraction of another job or because results aren’t good enough. Until either of those, I’ll continue to support whatever team he puts out.
 
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