Expectations of McCall this season?

Play off's

 

Stuart and Kenny have inherited a squad with limited ability with no obvious leader. Most appear hard to work with and there`s no backbone, mentally not strong enough. End of season clear-out is inevitable and they`ll get in players who are willing to put in a good shift and go again next season. You don`t have to pay massive salaries but sign players with a big heart and are up for the fight which is sadly lacking with this over-inflated squad.

 

Unfortunately signing players is not McCalls strength. He's a very good man manager who gets the best out of underperforming players. When he was here last time he took over only a few players, but what players they were. The likes of Darby, McMahon, McCardle, Meredith, Marshall, Hanson, Clarke. He brought in Law and the club persuaded Cullen to come back on loan. Then Greg Abbott further strengthened the squad, and against McCalls wishes Hanson was sold but the team were strengthened further with Wyke replacing him.
He got what was basically Parkinson's team playing nice football and got Marshall playing well. His track record with a decent budget however in 2008/9 was poor and he had a free hand in the January window at Scunthorpe but made a mediocre team worse. Hopefully this summer he will get us a good squad as many will be leaving,but don't be shocked if we're not in a similar situation this time next year.

 

Captain, Good post but I am worried about McCall and the 'hope' that he manages to do something.

We should have an 'expectation' that a very experienced manager at this level, who knows the club 'inside out' will succeed rather than hoping.

 

I would like Stuart to get us to the playoffs and promotion through the finals. This I think will be a difficult task looking at teams around us and our current squad. The other option would be Stuart to start again keep on his choice then a dam good
sort out. A good pre season with early signings and up and running for the seasons kick off.

 

There are no guarentees in football you should know that, but I agree if anyone could get us performing it would be Stuart mainly because with regards this club he knows it inside out, unfortunatly knowing the squads strengths and weaknesses are a far different thing.
What could quite easily have been 3 straight wins and 9 points has produced 4 point small margins but I've not written him off.

 

I feel that with Stuart McCalls track record when he has total responsibility in the transfer market, Hope is about all I can wish for.

 

This is what Bowyer said in the summer -

“Considering rebuilding the identity of the football club is a massive component in recruitment.
“It is not just about the players we are signing. We must sign the right characters who represent the club properly, that is the most important thing.
“What I can guarantee is - regardless of whoever comes through the door - we will be competitive.
"We will be putting demands on the players to show the passion and fight the fans deserve."

How did he get it so wrong?

 

Well maybe he needs help? I would want to employ fully qualified scouts given the managers brief to recruit players starting now, with a plan a&b depending which division we are in.

 

Bronco,

I have certainly not written off this season. A couple of wins and we are back in the mix.

My point wasn't about writing off this season or writing off McCall.

The point I was trying to make was that given we believe we have hired a successful, experienced manager who understands and has intimate knowledge both of this division and of the club with a set of supporter that is willing to be patient and, we believe, a board that will back him, we should have an expectation of success not a hope. Whether that is achieved in the short or long term is unknown but it should be expected rather than hoped for.

I know I am likely getting boring and the 'Cult of McCall' will be looking for me but if it was anyone other than McCall we would absolutely be expecting success, at least a playoff place this season, so why do we water it down, accept less, when McCall is at the helm?

 

Has to play offs or he's failed short term.

 

Like you say, incredibly small margins. If we'd held on for the win against Grimsby and got something from the game yesterday, we'd probably be seeing quiet a lot of chat on here today about the autos still being very much on. As it is, some think even the play offs are out of our grasp now.

 

Didn't Bowyer also talk about having height and pace in the team?

Then signs Palmer!

The man was a 1990 car salesman. Talks utter nonsense

 

To be fair to Stuart he hasn’t had a full week with the players till this week without a match and the weather has been against him with training.
So we have another tough match next week which he has time to prepare for hope we can see a difference

 

Can have it both ways.

We can't say training at a school is acceptable then moan when we can't due to the weather.

McCall would have known he was coming in during January at least and should know what kind of football he wants to play.

Play off's has to be the target! Has to be!

 

Didn’t he moan about that though in his last spell here. Even with his mate Abbott doing the signings he was unhappy with the situation and Rhodes said he liked the manager buying the players so doubt a director of football will come in.

 

Building a successful football squad is like making love to a beautiful woman....

 

One of the reasons Rhodes needs to leave.

 

What's that like?

 

Not at all you have every right to hold the manager to account, I just think with what we've had to suffer as a football club recently it breeds frustration amongst some of our fan base, whether it was McCall or any other manager who had come in it was a big call expected/hoped/demanded what ever word we want to put before it wont IMO make the job any easier.
McCall's been in charge for 3 games and with a bit of luck we could have been lookinthat cost us 2 points, it was down to a lapse of concentration our game management, as was yesterdays result, some say McCall made the O'Connor for McCartan call too early but we were under a Cambridge bombardment from the start of the second half, McCall obviously thought he'd try and get another body in the back line earlier than later because we looked so vulnerable, I'm not sure it was all down to our defence not holding out, Novak missed 2 chances on another day he's score from, very small margins, but I certainly haven't given up on a play off place.