Match Thread Away v Port Vale April 24th 3pm

Ok, get rid of Wood too.

 

Totally agree mate. It's got to be next season, otherwise we'll languish in the mire of League 2 for a good while. Big call for Ryan indeed. I'm usually a glass half full guy, but I don't think it will happen with T&S at the helm.

 

I dunno Keefly.

I can't help feeling it'll be another season of disappointment with them at the helm.

After a great start, the wheels fell off for some reason. They have to take the blame because they chose the tactics, players and formations from the same squad of players that looked for a time, impressive and at a point, play off contenders.

I just think it's too much for them and their experience in the game. They have met their level, which is sadly not enough for the aims of BCFC or the fans

They deserve applause for keeping us up, but in my opinion, shouldn't have been given an extended contract without a review at the end of the season.

 

Totally agree with your analysis. I hope Sparks talks to M&S about putting them back in charge of all our very fruitful youth development, much of which they were responsible for, and gets in a new management team early as possible over the summer. They did a great job in rescuing us - but they don't have the experience to change our shape, our endeavour to be come automatics next season. Reality must out.

 

You made the right decision. Can't take anything positive from todays game, the players as a unit have given up. The last three games are completely meaningless from our point of view, even an upturn in form means nothing as 12 of the squad are definitely going and probably more judging by some of the performances lately. Bar the league position we're no stronger going forward than we were at the beginning of the season, the squad still looks painfully weak and we still don't have a USP to what our team does well. We've gone back to looking weak at the back and impotent up front, we could potentially have a new forward line as big earners like Novak are out of contract, Donaldo too, Cook isn't even ours and mansfield have an option on him.
Going forward there isn't much there that i would build a team around and thats worrying for any future success.

 

Can't disagree with any of this. Once again, it's a near total clear out for me. Keep Canavan, Cook, Cooke and Hornby and the kids. Massive rebuild in the Summer again. I trust Turnbull. Do I trust T&S to know what their best signings might be? To fit the tactics they want to play? Not very sure on that shout at all unfortunately.

 

I take no pride in the fact that I called a mid table finish with the City squad assembled at the beginning of the season. Even with the eye opening transfer window we had in January, it would appear we have not strengthened enough, or in the right positions, to make wholesale changes, and the the current ensemble can now only hope of a top 10 finish!

That said, im glad Sparks got rid of McCall when he did, and we can only be grateful to Trueman and Sellers for steering us out of relegation trouble. Yet, given our position 5 games ago, I can't help but be hugely disappointed to have let the season fizzle out in the manor we have, and having not has a real go at it. I can't help but question whether Trueman and Sellars are in fact the right combination to lead us next season. For me, I think I'd be inclined to move them back to the youth team set up, and install a more experienced boss with a real style and approach, who can build a squad to implement it.

One of the most disappointing aspects this season has been our aimless hit and hope tactics that have been continually employed. It makes for dire watching and is frustrating to say the least when we have players at this level to play a much better/structured game.

I really do hope Sparks is ruthless with the cull of players out of contract, and gets the recruitment right for those coming in, and is also true to his word when he suggests our approach to fitness will be addressed over the summer. I really hope to see a definitive style in our play next year, an attacking style, and a squad built to achieve that. It really is getting tiresome being such serial underachievers season after season. Nothing less than promotion next season will do

 

Could be worse there was a few Town fans (part of a group I meet up with) in the next pegs to me they were far from happy to say the least
Big job to totally rebuild the squad from scratch and am not certainl T&S are capable or are even relishing the task
Massive decision for Mr Sparks which needs to be made sooner rather than later we have to sign players as soon as the season finishes and not have a bunch of total strangers starting the season or next season could be just as bad
Season tickets are are another concern as well as the appalling end to the season covid/ closed stadiums have given the opportunity for people to find other things to do on a match day many fans for various reasons won't return for a good while yet
This is a very important break for us and things need sorting or I really do fear for the future of the club

 

I felt sorry for Trueman in the after match presser. I don't think he was impressed with the players today but isn't sure how to bollock them due to his lack of experience. Even trying different personel in different roles didn't guage a response. He's clearly an intelligent coach but at the moment looks out of his depth. The last six games have yielded one win, that a terrible performance against Grimsby. The Newport game was the end of the season, we actually played quite well and were hit with two sucker punches. Never the same after that.
My heart says they should be given a chance because of the run they had, my head says they are out of their depth.

 

Yeah I think if it doesn't work, hounding them out of the club as failures would just compound the mistake and do ourselves out of two excellent youth coaches

 

Quite a conundrum one I am glad i don't have to solve
Maybe bring in a manager above them to learn from, someone not afraid to dish out the bollockings some clearly deserve
Imagine Paul Jewell in the dressing room after some of our recent performances they wouldn't dare play as poorly again

 

Just out of interest, why do you trust Turnbull?

 

I also really want us to get out of this short termist mindset we seem to have been stuck in ever since Edin. I don't think it will benefit us in the long run but at the same time when the guys we have start not to look like such a good fit, what do we do

 

If i was a betting man i'd say Sparks will change it. Had it have been a manager that he had brought in from outside, such as , i think he'd stick with it. But with T and S not been in the game long it makes his decision easier.

 

We need to avoid making a change mid season again, thats why Sparks has to think long and hard about this, because if he's gonna sack them it needs to be in the summer. Personally, I think he'll stick with it as to avoid sacking two managers in a few months. However if we lose a couple more before the end of the season, which looks likely, it makes the decision much easier. I'm pretty sure he wishes he'd kept them as interim right now, though.

 

Sparks needs to stick to his guns now just like Lawn and Rhodes did when we avoided relegation by the skin of our teeth under Parky.
At the time of their appointment we would have more than settled for where we are going to finish and any new appointment would from the same list of failed managers..

 

I am really torn on it and I also felt for Mark today, after his car crash interview on Tuesday he was a lot more on the money today and as fans we could all see what he was saying and agree with it. But its hard to disagree there is just something that is not right with T&S right now and the nagging doubt is can they really change things to achieve what we HAVE to set as our goal for next season.

One other key thing for me though is something I have stated since things have started to go pear shaped again and that is that Ryan does not need to reproach himself about giving T&S a 16 month contract, at the time he did so it was absolutely the right thing to do. They had deserved it and some so in my eyes if he thinks a change needs making before next season it is simply based on the fact he now does not believe T&S are the guys to take us to automatic promotion - and this is the key criteria if he feels a decision has to be made

 

Agree. They deserved their permanent deals. There wasn't anybody else out there who was a standout candidate then either.

with Wellens leaving Salford subsequently though that now changes everything. He’s the ideal manager for us.

 

You are very pro Wellens arent you Border? I honestly dont know enough about him to know if he is 'ideal' as you say but what is it about him that convinces you?

 

Relegated Oldham sacked at Salford got Swindon promoted then left them a side heading back down