BFC_53
Well-known member
Sorry for the longish post, and I know it's still very early days with the transfer window still open, but alarm bells are ringing imo.
We haven't scored in four games now, which is dreadful for a team that was playing in a higher league last year. We have made some simply shocking decisions in the last couple of years, and it's very concerning that this doesn't seem to be stopping. We aren't learning.
Sadler's record of managerial appointments is frankly dire, and I'm not sure this one was the right call either. I was against it and I've seen nothing yet to suggest there's promise of better, more successful football to come. The pattern of Grayson, Critchley, Appleton, McCarthy and Critchley tells me there is a distinct lack of imagination in the boardroom - three out of five appointments have been former managers. The fact we did it twice and it failed, but went ahead and did it a third time is extremely worrying to me. Not only that, but we have someone in charge that preferred a coaching role than being in the hot-seat - yes I know it was much more money, but most successful managers would be looking at moving for more money into another managerial role. That's concerning about the leadership qualities of the person in charge. Some people want Critchley out now, but I have absolutely zero confidence on us making a good appointment. No-one should think Dobbie is a shoe-in because our decision making in this area doesn't suggest we'd go for him.
We are where we are because we've made bad decision after bad decision after bad decision, consistently for two years, in player recruitment, managerial appointments, and even backroom staff appointments. And we did the same before Critchley was appointed the first time. I hate to use PNE as a comparison, but they're doing well because they made the right appointment, it's as simple as that. They identified their target and went and took him from another club. Four out of the five managers we've appointed have been unattached. We aren't ambitious enough and we don't act like a club of any stature, which is why we constantly get shafted in the transfer market. We still very much have a small club mindset, and we have no idea on the value of our players, or anyone else's. Which is also why we keep embarrassing ourselves when we try to buy players.
The next week is so important, it goes without saying really. But as a fanbase I think we need to see some good decisions being made regarding player recruitment (if we accept the fact that it's highly unlikely NC will be leaving). We need to see some positive signs that we're getting back on track and that we're still capable of identifying and securing good players - and I mean now and not in January or next summer. We can't afford to wait. I know SS is putting a fair chunk of money in - it's not really the investment quantity that's the issue necessarily, it's what we're spending it on. We've pissed so much money up the wall in the last couple of years and we need to take much greater care. I'd urge SS to get someone in the boardroom who knows football - I mean a real football person, to offer advice on a range of things, much like Sir Jimmy Armfield did for KO. I think it would make a huge difference.
We have probably the most season tickets and the highest average attendances that we've ever had in the third tier, and I think that reflects the trust that the fanbase has in the owner. But that won't last forever and will be quite quickly eroded if the board continue to get it wrong so often.
We haven't scored in four games now, which is dreadful for a team that was playing in a higher league last year. We have made some simply shocking decisions in the last couple of years, and it's very concerning that this doesn't seem to be stopping. We aren't learning.
Sadler's record of managerial appointments is frankly dire, and I'm not sure this one was the right call either. I was against it and I've seen nothing yet to suggest there's promise of better, more successful football to come. The pattern of Grayson, Critchley, Appleton, McCarthy and Critchley tells me there is a distinct lack of imagination in the boardroom - three out of five appointments have been former managers. The fact we did it twice and it failed, but went ahead and did it a third time is extremely worrying to me. Not only that, but we have someone in charge that preferred a coaching role than being in the hot-seat - yes I know it was much more money, but most successful managers would be looking at moving for more money into another managerial role. That's concerning about the leadership qualities of the person in charge. Some people want Critchley out now, but I have absolutely zero confidence on us making a good appointment. No-one should think Dobbie is a shoe-in because our decision making in this area doesn't suggest we'd go for him.
We are where we are because we've made bad decision after bad decision after bad decision, consistently for two years, in player recruitment, managerial appointments, and even backroom staff appointments. And we did the same before Critchley was appointed the first time. I hate to use PNE as a comparison, but they're doing well because they made the right appointment, it's as simple as that. They identified their target and went and took him from another club. Four out of the five managers we've appointed have been unattached. We aren't ambitious enough and we don't act like a club of any stature, which is why we constantly get shafted in the transfer market. We still very much have a small club mindset, and we have no idea on the value of our players, or anyone else's. Which is also why we keep embarrassing ourselves when we try to buy players.
The next week is so important, it goes without saying really. But as a fanbase I think we need to see some good decisions being made regarding player recruitment (if we accept the fact that it's highly unlikely NC will be leaving). We need to see some positive signs that we're getting back on track and that we're still capable of identifying and securing good players - and I mean now and not in January or next summer. We can't afford to wait. I know SS is putting a fair chunk of money in - it's not really the investment quantity that's the issue necessarily, it's what we're spending it on. We've pissed so much money up the wall in the last couple of years and we need to take much greater care. I'd urge SS to get someone in the boardroom who knows football - I mean a real football person, to offer advice on a range of things, much like Sir Jimmy Armfield did for KO. I think it would make a huge difference.
We have probably the most season tickets and the highest average attendances that we've ever had in the third tier, and I think that reflects the trust that the fanbase has in the owner. But that won't last forever and will be quite quickly eroded if the board continue to get it wrong so often.
