T&S..... sacked

Thinking back, what have been our best performances under T&S? I'd say:

The draw away to Crawley - purely for spirit and resilience
Winning 1-0 at home to Cambridge
The wins at Grimsby and Tranmere
The 2-0 win at Cheltenham
The 4-1 at home to FGR

The first 4 of those 6 came in the immediate aftermath of their interim appointment and before our January recruitment. Those performances COULD have been largely down to a new manager bounce and all that comes with it.

How many of our performances over the last 3 months have actually been convincing? How much of our January recruitment has really made an impact?

 

Doyle was, and at Swindon.

 

Didn't Steve Baines get a hatrick playing up front?

 

Before my time, the ones above barely had a shot between them.

 

Or even won an aerial duel, which was presumably the main reason they're thrown up there.

 

Seems to me that Sparks has made it clear what the fans are saying re their negative approach and they're seeking to reassure ahead of ST sales. Sadly I have little faith that they're capable of attacking football with or without better players in the building.

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/19253549.new-faces-will-help-bradford-city-play-different-ways/

 

For me it's too late.

I think the only answer is for Sparks to sack them both. It really is!

When they took over from McCall the aim really was about gaining results to make sure we stay up. Performances don't really as such but when you think about it we were gaining the results by playing negative football. Sparks should have known this and only offered a contract until the end of the season to really find out what their management style is, how they want to play the game and how they connect with the fans but instead he acted like a fat kid in a sweet shop offering them an 18 month contract.

Once safe the handbrake should have come off but it didn't and the jumping up & down for the Bolton draw as a disgrace.

Last week when we are losing highlighted more than ever how negative T & S really are.

I'm not convinced a negative manager(managers for us) can change into a positive/ attacking one or the other way round. Look at Jose for example.

We need to get rid of these two and bring in a manager that plays the way the fans, Sparks wants and give us the best chance next season.

 

I'm sceptical too. Rowe, Cook , Cooke, Vernam, Crankshaw, Watt, Wood. There's no reason whatsoever that we couldn't have at least tried to play more expansive football with those players. Even Billy Clarke - and before anyone scoffs, Ian Holloway had Grimsby playing an attractive style with Vernam and Clarke as 2 of a front 3.

 

And now, with the playoffs pretty much dead, and as a result of fan opinion, they play a more expansive 442.....

Deary me.

 

At least the horse hasn’t bolt.....

 

It pretty much has....

 

Wow I’m hearing Trueman completely backtracking his interview. Now apparently we didn’t dominate the game and deserve to win it.

Shocker. Obviously had his wrists slapped.

 

Stuarts post match interviews at times were gems with regards how the manager saw the game, but Tuesday night interview was classic gold.

 

Another three points dropped.

Wellens. Just make it happen, Ryan.

 

Even when we were going well I said I didn’t enjoy the football on offer but were grateful for them keeping us up, now please leave.

 

As I just mentioned on the match thread, under T&S we have trailed six times at the half, and have come out of those matches with a grand total of......zero points. Granted we have injuries, and certainly a number of players who are not as good as we'd wish them to be, but still one would expect to get something out of at least one or two of those matches. T&S, so far, do not seem able to do what it takes, whether in terms of tactics or subs or simply motivational speaking, to get the side going in such circumstances.

It really does seem as if the "OFF" switch was hit as soon as we were safe. Whilst the players we have certainly would not all be good enough to keep us up a division, it would have been a nice problem to have. If it was the players that switched off, then T&S should have given them the necessary rocket, if T&S, then Sparks. We were in a good position, and wasted it.

Overall, T&S have a lot of "growing-up" to do as managers. I feel far less positive about them now. I know that in the last 10-match segments post I did say that it might perhaps be too early to expect them to do that development this season, but I'm beginning to wonder if I was too kind about them.

RCB

 

A much better post match assessment of the 90 minutes Mark.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09fp44l

 

He couldnt get it wrong twice in a week. Either the players are letting him down or he's letting them down. Whichever it is its clearly not good enough. Form is now bottom three over last 12 games, Sparks needs to decide if the risk of this form carrying on to next season is worth it? The football ia appalling to watch and the results mirror this. Tough call because Sparks reputation is on the line depending on what happens next season.

 

Yep just posted similar in the Port Vale thread big call for Ryan going forward.