Parky available (Now with Poll)

Couldn’t remember his name - quite a tidy little player.

 

Anyone reading this would think we didn't rate our current manager
IPWT

 

One word - compo.
That Sparks lad is a ruddy genius.

 

Have Sunderland ever poached a manager off us?

 

I understand about not looking back, but we’ve had Collins, Hopkin, Grayson and Bowyer, unless i missed anyone. We’re so well run it’s not working for Stu that is clear, i’d welcome Parky back anytime tbh if it was ever possible, we’re not always looking to the past. Tbh of all the pasts we could look to in terms of unrivalled success at the level we were at, Parky has to be considered. But that’s just my opinion. It won’t happen anyway.

 

The whole argument about not going back doesn't really hold much water. However, of course there is no guarantee that he would repeat even half the success he had last time. There's also no doubt that his football was 'pragmatic' to put it nicely, particularly in the league. He also had some good fortune at key points (Notts County missing a open goal in rd1 of the League Cup run sticks out to me). He would be remembered very differently if it wasn't for those mega cup runs and it is unlikely that those would be repeated.

BUT

We have had 20 managers over the last 20 years. 19 of them have taken us backwards. The only highlight I have in my memory of those 19 was Stu leading us out at Wembley. That's it, a game we lost.
Phil Parkinson is the only manager who has been able to stop a sinking ship, stabilise it and then deliver consistent league improvements every year for 5 years. That is no small feat and is before I even get on to the cup matches which are by far the greatest memories I have of this club and clinging to those memories is basically the only thing that keeps me coming back, in the hope that it might one day return.
Sometimes its a case of right person, right club (eg see Eddie Howe). Parky is that man for this club.
I've not lost all faith in Stu yet, but it is waning fast and I reluctantly type this out of respect for Stu, but we are going backwards and if results do not improve in the very near future and Parky is available and interested I expect the club to take necessary and decisive action. The club should not underestimate how difficult it is going to be drag fans back as restrictions are eased next year, Parkinson would likely fix that overnight

Bring him home

 

No, I wouldn't go back to Parkinson.

Look, this isn't rocket science, Stuart McCall is training this Bradford City squad to play a brand of football. It's not working, admittedly, but the team is particularly poor and it is likely very, very cheap, in line with his 2009 squad. It doesn't mean the style CAN'T work, and it doesn't mean we should press the reset button.

What is the point in continually undoing all of the work the previous manager has done by going a full 180 in terms of style?

If Gary Bowyer was manager and his neck was on the chopping board, by all means - sign Parkinson. He's not going to achieve what he did before, but he will eventually produce a similar style of football by culling the kids and hiring seasoned veterans with the 'don't ask questions, just got stuck in' mentality. Don't cry when he releases Reece Staunton and tells you that Cooke and Watt are no good. They aren't Parkinson players, and the fact they're the best we've got speaks volumes about why we cannot revert to that type.

The pathetic mismanagement of this club has seen us flip-flop to absolute failure, and it cannot continue. I am sure Sparks can handle the books and appease opposition directors and do a reasonable job at speaking to 'Supporters Groups' who are only half-listening, hence he's the CEO - but he has to be able to see the bigger picture, and while his decision to extend the contracts of Stuart and Black is baffling (in the least), the obvious aim is CONTINUITY.

At this stage, it appears Ryan has no idea how to achieve that, but he's at least bought himself a little time so that he doesn't have to make a snap decision as crucial as appointing a new manager. I reiterate what I said earlier, I think it's hugely unlikely McCall and/or Black will demand compensation, so it's probably not a mistake on financial terms even if they do depart.

Ryan now needs to draw up a shortlist of managers that MAKE SENSE as a replacement for Stuart. Parkinson will, and should, not be on that list, unless we're going to gamble on him getting it right straight away like he did last time, even though he hasn't been able to elsewhere. Once he's done that, he needs to put in place an off-field team that will be in place for the next decade, and is of the highest calibre. He needs to surround himself with the best of the best.

It's lovely that Wetherby Whaler says he was also thrust into a similar position and he succeeded, but this is not an ordinary business, it's football. It's micro-analysed, hyper-intense, extreme-pressure. There's a good reason for that - if you're not competent and you fail, you potentially bankrupt a club that is over a hundred years old with fervent support. Passionate, angry, loving, fearful people. Emotional people. Rahic failed badly in almost every aspect. Rhodes was nowhere close to salvaging the situation. He's passed the buck on to Ryan at the worst possible time, when we're literally on the brink of the precipice.

I'm not interested in hearing how brave Ryan is for taking on the job - Rahic was even more brave for leaving home and relocating abroad. Who gives a shit? Rahic put years of planning into this, and get a backer of real financial might. Who cares? He failed miserably.

Ryan bought himself a very small amount of time with a defiant decision, now he has to use that time wisely. He could have only 6 months left as an EFL club CEO. This club itself might have only 6 months left TOTAL if we go down. If it's looking more and more likely, he has to wield the axe, but he MUST know what he's doing. The last ding-dong we had in charge thought Grayson was a good replacement for McCall. He wasn't, because he simply could not work with what McCall had constructed despite his previous accomplishments.

Make no bones about it... if we're still struggling come February, this is the BIGGEST decision in the history of Bradford City AFC, and we have the least experienced man in football making that call.

 

Of all the managers out there, able to understand what's needed to arrest the free fall we're in, it has to be Parky. Now is not about the style of play, its about getting points on the board, making us hard to break down and disciplined. It's about identifying the right characters and getting rid of the weaker in mind. Parky (on the surface) wasn't best mates with any of the players, but they'd run through brick walls for him. Can you say that about this current squad?
Can you say that about McCall?

There are gambles with any appointment but a gamble with arguably our greatest ever manager is one I'd consider.
There's a ready made team all out work there. A team that know their roles.

It's probably a non starter anyway, but at the very least Ryan should be looking at Parkys model and trying to implement it.

We've entrusted the most important 8 months in the clubs history to a man who refused to consider reinforcements weeks ago, and now find ourselves scraping the bottom of the shittiest barrel there is. Who doesn't know how to set up a defence and never has and will stubbornly refuse to admit when he's wrong.

If I was Ryan I'd at least ask the question.

 

I love Parky, the manager, more than I love Stu the manager, and Stu the person more than both, but don't want either as manager at present.

I have no doubt that Parky could keep us up, but what if he didn't? Another reputation trashed and more vitriol aimed at him and the club.

Having seen Stuart trash his own legendary status by being a pants manager, I would rather Parky kept his, and the glory he gave us intact so I can continue to hold him up where he should be, as the best manager we have had in my lifetime of supporting city which is 50 plus years.

 

Too much fuss made about style of football for me, especially in the lower leagues.

Its largley bollocks anyway. We hit as many long diagonal balls against Oldham as I ever remember a Parkinson team doing.

Bradford City has always been a blood and thunder club at heart. Whether people like it or not, our true heroes have always been of the ilk of McCall, Campbell, Lawrence, Hanson, Davies and Jones rather than Blake, Beagrie, Waddle, Carbone and Daley.

So if we're going to settle on a style of play why don't we settle on the one that we've seen work, the one that creates heroes and memories, and the one that has the atmosphere back at VP?

 

Babb joined us as a midfielder originally.
We turned him into the international centre back he became.

 

I actually agree with Jon's point that constantly changing between managers who have contrasting styles is a recipe for disaster. Swansea went from the fourth tier to the top flight with a number of different managers, but all had a similar ethos which enabled them to continue building.

However, I think it is hard to identify any particular style in this current side.

 

Me too. I completely see the sense in it. I just can't see why if we're going to pick one to work with we'd pick anything other than the one which has always represented our identity to some degree and actually brought us success.

 

I agree with you. Most sides are direct at this level anyway. Be solid at the back and you’ll win games. Actually posted about it in the McCall thread that he should go solid and more direct and his interview this morning he seems to be getting it. It’s the only way with a small weak squad and now injuries. We can’t play out from the bakc with Richards Everton.

it’s not a style I like to watch but there’s no better time to play it with no fans in the ground and a real threat of relegation

 

Totally agree.

I want stability but I want this with the right man, personally I think McCall should be sacked and a full & proper recruitment process carried out to identify a manager with a 5 year plan. However Bradford City just do not do this and therefore as we 'apparently' need to put faith in someone with ties to the club, then that man should be PP.

I just cannot understand how and why we are putting this blind faith into McCall when there is absolutely nothing to back up that this will work. Its not even like he is an unproved highly rated manager, we all know exactly what you are going to get with McCall.

 

This answers any questions. I'm still annoyed that Rhodes chose to allow my football hero the chance to come back to what is a poisoned chalice with very little chance of turning round a sinking ship. If we go down its what Stuart will be remembered for, the first manager to take us out of the football league as opposed to his god like status as a player. I would never forgive Rhodes if this is the eventual outcome. Same with Parky, he gave this club its soul back, made you proud to be a city fan and like with Stuart I wouldnt want to see that tarnished by giving the job of turning this complete shitshow around.

 

Only thing I'd question is the players you mention first are remembered for 'blood and thunder' when the truth is first and foremost they were actually bloody good players. You can run around and give 100%, something our fans seem to be happy with when in reality you have to have talent to go with it.

 

Did you really just mention 'Daley' in the same breath as Blake, Beagrie, Waddle & Carbone?

 

You're 100% correct and I definitely didn't mean it to come across like we worshipped a bunch of cloggers by any means. Certainly not.

It's just something that's always struck me about our fan base. We seem to say that we want tippy tappy football but then when asked about our favourite players they're all "men" who can put their foot in but also have ability. But we identify them over and above players with significantly more natural talent and a lesser desire to dig in.

The atmosphere at VP is the same, I've never heard or felt it as loud when we're going toe to toe with an opponent and pretty footballing moves seem to get little more than a polite round of applause. But if you asked people away from the ground they almost sneer at the former and crave the latter. Its weird.

But yeah, bottom line, I don't disagree with you. There has to be talent there as well but if we're picking a style to consistently go forward with- while we're in the lower leagues at least. Then the PP style is closer to what I think of as our true identity rather than the McCall (as manager) style of play.

 

That should be a ban in fairness.

Levels though aren't they. Not saying they're similar at all as obviously one was premiership and one was league two. I wouldn't really compare McCall the footballer and Jones either if I'm honest.

More a comparison between the two groups for the levels they were at.